On the sunny morning of April 19, the CF Honors Institute journeyed to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Students began exploring the Heroes and Legends building: a tribute to the pioneers of space exploration, featuring exhibits and displays honoring astronauts and their contributions to space exploration. The video presentation at the Heroes and Legends building provided viewers with inspiring stories and achievements of astronauts in space exploration, followed by a visit to a museum-like room filled with plaques of the narratives of astronauts and their missions. 

The Rocket Garden displayed impressive replicas of rockets. A highlight of the trip was the Apollo/Saturn V Center, where CF students learned about the Apollo Program’s significance, touched moon rocks and experienced firsthand accounts of the Apollo 11 Moon landing along with the exploration of the Gateway, featuring the Deep Space Launch Complex and Spaceport Kennedy Space Center, offering simulated space journeys. At the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, students interacted with the real Atlantis orbiter and explored exhibits about space living and working.  

Despite being designed for children, Planet Play provided a fun experience with its simulation tunnels and interactive activities. It had realistic tunnels of different planets and at the top, students enjoyed shooting asteroids (plastic balls) below.  

The CF Honors Institute trip to NASA was a learning opportunity, a way to build connections and create new friendships and allowed students to understand the dimensions of space. It was a merger of education, fellowship and awe-inspiring moments of space exploration, leaving participants with a deep appreciation for the cosmos.