Palmetto Ridge High School teacher hopes to inspire students with Artemis launch

Reporter: Rachel Cox-Rosen Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
Palmetto Ridge High School
Kathy Schroeder teaching a class at Palmetto Ridge High School. (Credit: WINK News)

A science teacher in Collier County wants to make sure her students fully appreciate the significance of the unmanned Artemis 1 launch.

Before NASA suspended Monday’s liftoff because of technical problems, Palmetto Ridge High School students in Kathy Schroeder’s marine biology class waited eagerly to see history unfold before their eyes.

They planned to watch the launch live on TV and out the window.

One student is particularly excited because Artemis 1 is the first step in sending the first black woman to walk on the moon.

“It’s very encouraging, and it can really push people, especially in the black community, to keep working hard and know that they can be like her,” said Ronashta Theodule, a Palmetto Ridge High School student.

“They were actually gonna see it, not just on TV of, ‘oh OK, that’s nice it happened,’ but to actually see the trail behind it and if it was good weather, seeing the boosters come off. So they were excited, they were in here this morning ‘what’s going on? What time? Are we good?'” said Schroeder.

Now, students look forward to Friday when NASA says they hope they will be able to try again.

Schroeder says because it takes thousands of minds to make something like Artemis happen, seeing the launch could help inspire students to pursue careers in science.

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