Students talked to an astronaut aboard the ISS
By Jack Criss, The Bolivar Bullet
Approximately 600 Bayou Academy students packed the school’s gym on Thursday, August 22, for a rare and exciting live connection with Sunita Williams, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Amanda Mayo, an Earth Science, Math Lab and Oceanography instructor at the school, said that the occasion was a major one for the students and Bayou Academy, and the culmination of a year’s worth of work of grant writing, proposals and convincing NASA and ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) why Bayou Academy should be worthy to get the opportunity to speak to the astronauts.
Eleven lucky students got the opportunity to speak to Williams, who had just recently found out that her space voyage was going to be significantly extended, and ask a pre-selected question of her. The connection with Williams lasted only about twelve minutes, said Mayo.
Mayo said that one of the more interesting and surprising questions asked of Williams by one of the students was what plants were growing on the ISS right now. “His name was Carver,” said Mayo, “and it was a great question because the ISS actually is growing plants on board. But it struck me that this was a smart question asked by a student from the Delta where agriculture is so important.”
This event was part of the ARISS program, which supports STEM education by giving students a completely different experience.
A question submission contest was held over the summer for students which determined what was asked of Williams during the brief conversation.
“And the students who did the actual asking of the questions were chosen based on their ability to do public speaking well and not buckle under the pressure of time constraints,” said Mayo.
Mayo also added that the eleven students who were chosen to ask the questions would be well-advised to mention this momentous occasion on their college application. “Absolutely!” she laughed.
Caroline Fioranelli, a senior at Bayou Academy who actually asked one of the questions of Willams, said her question pertained to how well she could sleep on the space station.
“She told me that it was hard to get used to at first, but that it wasn’t so bad,” said Fioranelli. “We only had a minute to ask our question but it was very inspirational to me and also a great learning experience. I think our whole school got to hear and witness a very unique event that we’ll always remember.”
The Bayou Academy event marked Mississippi’s first contact with the International Space Station in 20 years and was also the first direct communication between northern Mississippi amateur radio operators and an astronaut on the ISS.