Wentzville Middle School Teacher Has Her Own 'Star Trek'

When I was teaching third grade, years ago, NASA offered teachers a chance to apply to be the first teacher in space. I considered it for a brief moment and then decided against applying. I'd seen video of astronaut training, and all the whirling and spinning and weighlessness made my stomach feel like it was full of space rocks.

That's why I'm especially impressed with Wentzville South Middle School teacher Leslie Murphy.

For a week at the end of June, Murphy took part in real-life astronaut training, including a high-performance jet simulation, scenario-based space missions, land and water survival training and a state-of-the-art flight dynamics program. 

Murphy was chosen from more than 1,100 applicants from around the world for the program, the Honeywell Space Academy for Educators in Huntsville, Alabama.

“Attending Space Academy was a once in a lifetime experience, and I got to feel like a child again,” the seventh grade science teacher said. “With this experience, I hope to get my students excited about space science and technology by incorporating several of the lessons and activities in my classroom. It will help to teach astronomy and physical science, and also encourage my students to build inquiry skills.”

According to a Wentzville School District press release, Space Camp was created in partnership with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in 2004 and designed to help teachers move beyond the standard math and science curriculum with supplemental teaching techniques developed through real-life astronaut training.

Each educator received a full scholarship, including tuition for the six-day program, roundtrip airfare, meals, accommodations and program materials, all underwritten by Honeywell.