The half-term break was a very special one for 29 students from Years 9-11 as they travelled to Orlando, Florida for a STEM trip that centred on a three-day exploration of the Kennedy Space Centre.
The trip provided fantastic experiences that ignited plenty of passion for science, technology, engineering and maths, alongside some adrenaline-fuelled action. From seeing the Atlantis Space Shuttle up close, meeting astronauts, experiencing micro-gravity and spacecraft simulations and VR explorations of Mars, to indoor sky-diving, an escape room and a visit to Universal Studios, the itinerary was packed with adventure, thrills and scientific discovery.
Some of our students picked out their highlights:
On day one we had a ride in Icon Park full of breathtaking landscapes and had a glimpse of the glorious wildlife before arriving at the Kennedy Space Centre where we got to see the Atlantis Space Shuttle. Standing in front of it was so cool, it was hard to believe something so huge was sent to space. Our tour guides informed us of this shuttle’s remarkable past. Then they showed us around the exhibits: taking us down a super fun slide and trying out the simulators. We really enjoyed it!
Aryan and David (Y10)
The carousel of activities at the Kennedy Space Centre was really fantastic. The simulation of life on Mars included challenges with computers, robots and also a simulation of going up into space in a spaceship. It was really fun and educational as it gave us insight into what it would be like to travel to space. It was a really realistic activity which was exciting and thrilling. We were lucky enough to get some take-home presents such as a signed photograph from a real astronaut who we had a talk with in the first day. We are so grateful for all the instructors that took us around on our three days and are thankful for the teachers for organising this amazing experience for us.
Isabelle and Lily (Y10)
Our experiences included many brilliant simulations, including a VR walk on Mars, a micro-gravity simulator and a land rover spinning. We also had a chance to do a mission control launch simulation to launch a rocket, and we got to meet a mechanical engineer who gave us lots of information about how NASA works, how general spacecraft functions and even simply answer questions about America, as for many of us it was our first time in the country.
Ashvin (Y11)
It was an exhilarating day at the Universal studio and park, we enjoyed the Hulk, RIP Rockit and Jurassic water coaster where we got soaked – everyone loved it! The Rip Rockit had an option to choose music and had a 90° ascent, the climb was terrifying but thrilling. It was a day of constant adrenaline, and we were absolutely exhausted by the end!
Euan and Maggie (Y10)
