Space Day inspires young students

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Purdue University is looking to find the next Neil Armstrong, or Buzz Aldrin with the annual Space Day program on campus.

Former Astronaut and Purdue alumnus Mike McCulley spoke to many kids participating in Space Day.

McCulley said people have an innate interest in exploring. He said that's what inspired him to become an astronaut and he hopes simple curiosity will help this next generation.

"The United States is falling behind alot of countries in the number of people choosing engineering and science. As a former astronaut, it gives me a platform," said McCulley.

Space Day Co-Coordinator Holley Dickmeyer said the event targets children in the third through eighth grades.

"We feel like we can reach to get them engaged math and science for their futures," said Dickmeyer. "When they start getting interested in math and science at a young age they are able to develop those skills, and will be a lot stronger as they move on to high school and college."

The day included hands on activities to foster creativity and to try to recreate history.

Student Sarah Nakata took part in one of these experiments.

"It was based of a problem that happened on Apollo 13, in which they have a round hole and a square peg idea, and we had to try and filter fog through it and have it come out as clean air," explained Sarah.

Organizers said experiments like this one are very useful to the students.

"It's a really great opportunity to learn problem solving, which is the biggest part of being an engineer: you learn how to problem solve," said Dickmeyer.