Our 4th-grade Eagles recently took their curiosity to new heights—literally! On a thrilling overnight adventure to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, students dove deep into the world of space exploration, engineering, and teamwork, all while building unforgettable memories together.

The trip launched with a scavenger hunt in the iconic Rocket Garden, where students explored towering rockets and discovered the rich history of space travel. From there, they toured the cutting-edge Gateway building, where a NASA guide introduced them to real space capsules and future missions to the moon with SpaceX—sparking big dreams and big questions from our young explorers.

Engineering took center stage next as students worked in teams to design and test their own egg-drop devices, simulating how real astronauts return safely to Earth inside space capsules. There was plenty of creativity, collaboration, and cheering as eggs parachuted to safety—or not!

Of course, no space adventure would be complete without a little thrill. Students enjoyed simulator rides and stepped into an astronaut's shoes—literally—through a virtual reality hyperdeck experience.

They also toured the Atlantis shuttle building, where they explored a kid-sized model of the International Space Station (ISS), giving them a real sense of what life is like in orbit. The experience was both fun and inspiring, made even more meaningful with a visit to a memorial honoring astronauts who gave their lives in the pursuit of discovery.

The highlight? A sleepover in the Gateway building itself—surrounded by real spacecraft, mission displays, and stars above. Our students drifted off with imaginations wide open and dreams as big as the universe.

Trips like this bring our inquiry-based learning approach to life—providing students with opportunities to ask questions, solve problems, and experience God’s vast creation in amazing new ways.

We’re grateful to our teachers, chaperones, and the NASA staff for making this adventure out of this world!