Posted by
Tanya Arja or Debra Bellanti
on
2/2/2024 10:15:00 AM
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tanya Arja or Debra Bellanti
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Office of Communications
813-272-4060
Tampa, Fl. (February 1, 2024) –Stewart Middle Magnet School has been proudly selected by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as one of only ten schools in the state of Florida to participate in the Plant the Moon Challenge.
Participants in the Plant the Moon Challenge will join a global science experiment and research challenge to examine how vegetable crops can grow in lunar soil. Each team received real lunar soil simulant from the University of Central Florida’s CLASS Exolith Lab.
The students will be planting lettuce, spinach, green beans, radishes, and others. The team’s task is to design and conduct a set of experiments using this lunar simulant to grow crops that could be utilized as food on a future moon base. Students will document their work with photos and videos over the 8 weeks of the project.
In April, all participants with completed projects will be invited to showcase their work at a virtual symposium with NASA scientists, program executives, and other dignitaries, where Best-in-Show awards will be presented to teams with the best experiments in a variety of categories.
Stewart Middle Magnet School won a grant through The Florida Space Grant Consortium to participate in this exciting project.
You are invited on Tuesday, February 6, from 10:15-11 a.m. to watch the students prepare the soil and plant the seeds. Please RSVP to Debra Bellanti at Email Debra Bellanti if you can come.
Plant the Moon Challenge Timeline:
February 6: begin planting crops at Stewart Middle Magnet
February 6 to Mid-April: growing period – may start to see growth at week 4.
Middle of April: fully developed plants that can be eaten by astronauts.
End of April: submit findings to NASA and virtual award ceremony.
Plant the Moon Challenge Location & Contact:
Stewart Middle Magnet School, 1125 Spruce Street. Tampa, FL 33607
Darcy Santos, Ed.D. Magnet Lead | Email Darcy Santos