(LAS CRUCES) – People interested in space are getting a rare opportunity to speak directly to those that have gone where only 12 men have gone before…to the moon.
Local educators are giving their students a chance to learn about space.
“We’re really evoking some excitement in these students in terms these history makers that they are going to be seeing this week,” said David Kovar, who is organizing a 40th anniversary celebration this week as many around the country commemorate NASA’s Apollo 16 mission.
“Really, a great appreciation of what was accomplished to go to the moon when President Kenney set that goal, right after Shepard had his flight, he’s going to congress saying we are going to the moon and we’re going before the end of the decade and we accomplished that and as I see it what Kennedy did what that speech he gave, we really took a piece of that 20th century and he put it in the middle of a childhood and was a huge influence for me when I was growing up,” he said.
Leaders with the event say area students and those in the community can re-live a moment in history.
“This keeps the dream alive for students. They have so many kids that are in our program, the want to be astronauts and that’s why they are in SEMA because they are dreaming about the future and they’re thinking I want to go to the moon, I want to go to Mars and I want to travel into space and see what’s out there,” said Laura Tomlinson, who is helping put the event together.
The Apollo 16th mission, 40th anniversary begins Thursday on the campus of New Mexico State University. You can find more information on the event, online at www.apollo40.org
“They get to see the past, but the present as well and then they get to dream about the future so it really ties all three,” she said.
