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FORT MYERS
21 Lee County students are the first in Southwest Florida to interview an astronaut from the International Space Station.
For just 10 minutes, a room filled with students, teachers and parents was connected to the ISS thanks to a new technology installed on the roof of Allen Park Elementary School.
This is a rare opportunity that schools around the world use through NASA. To do this, it takes thousands of dollars of equipment, the first of its kind in southwestern Florida.
Participants were selected from nine different schools in Lee County in May and are practicing what they have been saying since.
"It's a little surreal to finally have a date in the marble," said Courtney Black, a 5th grade science teacher. "The countless hours of preparation and practice are about to bring to everyone involved."
About a year ago, Black led the project to bring space science to the west coast of Florida.
"We wanted students, future astronauts, future engineers and future educators, to really benefit from this experience," Black said.
Brian Darley, a CenturyLink technician and a member of the Fort Myers Amateur Radio Club, spent many months integrating amateur radio with the ARISS (International Space Station) system.
"Some children forget that the Space Coast is not so far away and they are limiting their field of vision.I hope this opportunity has allowed them to broaden their field of vision a little bit," he said. Black.
Black says any teacher in Lee, Collier or Hendry counties who wants to use the radio can contact her or contact the district.
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