Sussex Academy students explore NASA Wallops Flight Facility

Sussex Academy sixth-graders explored the Wallops Island Flight Facility March 4 to cap off their Earth in Space unit.

Students rotated through four stations at the Virginia-based flight facility, said science teacher Stacy Lawson.

They took a guided journey through the solar system to reinforce information about the planets, moon and more; worked in teams in a hands-on engineering challenge in the Mission Explorers STEM lab; learned coding and robotic concepts at the Workforce Development Center; and delved into interactive exhibits at the Wallops exhibits area, where they also heard from Chincoteague Bay Field Station educators about creatures that live in the bay.

Rachael Johnston, middle school dean, said the trip was paid for in part though a Rodel Foundation grant.

“We are grateful for the opportunity this support provides to expand meaningful field experiences that enrich learning beyond the classroom and allow students to explore, connect and grow through real-world opportunities,” Johnston said.

Dr. Sherry MacBury, Sussex Academy K-12 chief of student services, said the $75,000 grant is being used to fund a leadership development program for the middle school and to provide field trips aligned with the school’s arts and STEM pathways.

“In coordination with the current exploratories offered to our students, these focused experiences expose students to potential careers in their pathways they may not otherwise have considered,” MacBury said.

Sussex Academy is a tuition-free, public charter K-12 school in Georgetown.