What an absolute whirlwind of a tour around the United States Learning so much under the STEM umbrella. From the time that we landed in Los Angeles until leaving San Francisco, the learning did not stop and all students had a great time. The Tour ran during the last week of Term 1 and into the first week of the April School Holidays.
Highlights of the Tour, of which there were so many and for different reasons, include the following:
- The days at Kennedy Space Centre learning about the Space Program and having lunch with former Astronaut Fred Gregory.
- Seeing the Atlas 5 Rocket Launch after dinner at Cocoa Beach
- Seeing 2 of the 4 remaining Space Shuttles that have now been decommissioned
- Taking in the beauty and scale of the Grand Canyon
- Seeing, firsthand the scale of the Hoover Dam and learning of how it was built during the Great Depression
- Going through the many different Museums and Monuments in Washington
- Reflecting on the tragic events of the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York but appreciating how well the events of the day have been preserved and commemorated
- Seeing the Yankees Baseball game
- Learning about the history and development of the microprocessor and seeing how technology has changed the manufacturing of these important components of electronic devices
There were so many learning experiences for the students who participated which I am sure they will never forget. Hopefully the students will make many connections from the knowledge and understanding they gained whilst on the STEM Tour with their learning back in the classrooms at School.
All of the students are congratulated for their conduct on the tour and how well they coped with the early morning starts, lots of walking, navigating the New York Subway system and of course the long haul flights. It was certainly an amazing tour that, despite being so busy, allowed the students the opportunity to experience so much of the wider world.
Written by Mr Matthew Schlueter, US STEM Tour Leader