The sixth grade class of Floyd C. Fretz Middle School held a
debriefing press conference Tuesday afternoon to display the
results of their simulated experience through outer-space at the
Dresser-Rand Challenger Learning Center at St. Bonaventure
University in Allegany, N.Y.

The presentation was entitled “Rendezvous with Comet Halley,”
and displayed the groups’ journey as astronauts in pictures.
Following the trip to the center this school year, the students
formulated their own press conference, with three students asking
questions and representing a  newspaper, including one
correspondent from the New York Times.

The Challenger Center for Space Science Education is an
international organization that uses space and simulation as tools
of learning to create an interesting and interactive learning
experience. The students’ mission is structured to mimic those
assigned by NASA. 

“It helped us not only learn, but get along together,” Andee
O’Brien, 12, said Tuesday immediately following the conference. “It
really was a blast,” she said with a laugh.

According to O’Brien, students were separated into two groups.
One group was stationed at mission control to aide with team
members on the space craft, and the other group experienced a
realistic visit into space from aboard the space unit.

“I enjoyed how it actually felt like we were going in space,”
said one student speaker during the conference.

According to the students, the mission consisted of locating
Halley’s Comet, building a probe and successfully sending it out to
make contact with the comet. They also experienced emergency
situations that required communication between the control room and
the space craft.

Tasks even included giving medical assistance to members of the
astronaut crew.

“I was part of the medical team,” said Rayanna Hennigan.

“I took temperatures and checked the astronauts’ eyes,” she
said. “The whole mission helped us.”

Mitchell Faulkner, 12, also expressed his gratitude for such a
unique experience, and noted that he particularly enjoyed going
back-and-forth between the control room and mission station.

“Mission control had computers so that the space craft could
interact with the other kids and talk to everybody,” Faulkner said.
“We also had spy-cams so we could see other students and give
messages.”

“We had a lot of fun there,” said Chyonie Thornton, 13, who was
handing out programs prior to the conference. “We got to catch the
Halley Comet.”

The class also lauded Challenger Learning Center Director Tom
Mosher for his help with the program.