On May 2, 2008, students at Thomas O. Hicks Elementary participated in Space Day in conjunction with Lockheed Martin and NASA who were celebrating 50 years in space.

Students at Hicks Elementary signed their names onto giant posters along with supporting educational material and program memorabilia. The goal of this S3 mission was peak students’ interest in space by getting them personally involved.  

Signatures are digitally captured from the posters and NASA includes the signatures in the manifest of a U.S. space shuttle mission. The mission selected for S3 is usually one that is launched in the fall of that year’s project. This ensures that most schools are in session during the mission. Hicks’ signatures are tentatively scheduled for an October launch date.

Collecting signatures was just a glimpse of what students did during the Space Day. Students also created model space crafts, watched interactive videos about shuttle launches, and participated in many activities and experiments such as how model rockets behavior, how astronauts eat, work and dress in space.

Sponsor for this event was LEAP teacher Lori Yoakam who felt the mission was quite successful. Students and staff are looking forward to seeing the names from Hicks Elementary launch into space next fall.