A small group of girls from the Middle School, will have the distinction of having a project they worked on, chosen to head to the International Space Station in the fall. The longterm science experiment involves the concept of microgravity on the germination of a tomato seed. Bridget Coviello, Isabelle DeNoto, Samantha Racich and Elsie Ross formed the chosen team.
Christine Lebenns, a science teacher at the school, said the 7th grade four-girl team, had worked on the project since beginning of the school year, and submitted their idea last November.
“All the students in 7th grade had gathered in groups to work on different projects and this one happened to be chosen after being submitted through a variety of protocols,” said Lebenns.
She said the protocols included being sent to a committee of scientists, including the Garden City Friends of STEAM, and then on to Washington D.C. where the project garnered National recognition.
The winning team/project was announced during a school trip to the Cradle of Aviation Museum last December.
“Kids always have great ideas in their minds,” said Lebenns. “Kids have come up with experiments and ideas that have changed the world, so why not tap into the best source possible, while giving them the experience of a lifetime.”
The students project was one of twenty experiments from across the world to be chosen to be part of the SSEP (Student Spaceflights Experiments Program.) it is part of their Mission 16 to the International Space Station in the fall.
Lebenns added that when the project goes to space, the group will analyze what comes back and compare it with the control experiment.
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