Young JH one of only 50 awarded a Moon Tree
Most everyone dreams of going to the moon one day. But if you can’t make it to the moon, maybe a from is the next best thing.
At least that’s what Young Junior High principal Kirsten Lundinbelieves.
Earlier this month, the school’s eighth-grade community joined together to plant its own Moon Tree seedling. With , the seed traveled into lunar orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft spending four weeks in space before returning to Earth.
“We have a tree from outer space,” Lundin said. “How many people can say that?”
Through partnership with the , it flew five species of tree seeds aboard as part of a national STEM engagement and conservation education initiative. Museums, universities, federal agencies and K-12-serving organizations were invited to apply for ownership of a Moon Tree seedling.
That’s when art teacher Diedre Grimm and Young’s eighth grade science teachers decided to take the chance.
“It’s really exciting,” Grimm said.“To have this collaborative effort that everyone worked on together is so cool.”
With over 1,300 applications, the school was one of only 50 awarded a seedling.
“We were one of the lucky ones,” said Lundin. “And now we have a tree from outer space planted right here in front of our building.”
The tree will serve as a living educational tool for students learning about Earth and space science as a part of the eighth grade curriculum. The school even plans to enhance the tree’s significance through its next kindness campaign where students will decorate rocks to place around the tree, fostering a sense of community.
“We are super excited,” Lundin said. “It’s a unique opportunity to connect our students with the history of space exploration and the future possibilities that lie ahead.”
Learn more about the history of .
