Repost from The Hour, 'How a New Canaan school got a 'moon tree' from NASA.
NEW CANAAN — A New Canaan elementary school is now home to a very special sycamore tree that spent the earliest part of its life traveling among the stars.
New Canaan’s South Elementary School is the first in Connecticut to be granted a “moon tree” by NASA, a seedling that flew 270,000 miles around the moon aboard the 2022 Artemis I mission as part of the U.S.’s return to the moon. The tree, an American sycamore, was planted on the school grounds on Arbor Day, April 26.
The moon tree is one of 50 seedlings grown on NASA’s Artemis I mission as part of a collaboration between the NASA Next Gen STEM Department and the USDA Forest Service. The initiative was inspired by Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa, who brought tree seeds into lunar orbit that were eventually distributed to national monuments and international dignitaries.
“A new era of moon trees will one day stand tall in communities across America,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a press release announcing the trees’ distribution. “NASA is bringing the spirit of exploration back down to Earth because space belongs to everyone. The Artemis Generation will carry forth these seedlings that will be fertile ground for creativity, inspiration and discovery for years to come.”
South Elementary School science teacher Gabriella Brown had stiff competition as one of 1,300 applicants for the coveted moon trees.
“Initially NASA sent out an email saying they’ll tell us at the beginning of the spring, and we hadn’t heard, so I thought maybe we didn't get one,” she said. “Then just before spring break, in the middle of April, we found out the news, so I was ecstatic.”
Brown heard about the initiative in a news article and thought New Canaan would be a perfect home for the tree as the district expands its STEM programming with new additions like the Dome — the new immersive theater in the high school’s refurbished planetarium.
“I know this will be a great opportunity to bring something hands-on that went into space back into our community where kids could actually see the connection that it's real and it could affect their own life in their own backyard,” Brown said. “It's not just some scientists and astronauts in Florida doing their thing.”
“They saw the process of the whole thing, so they felt more connected,” Brown said. “They were just really excited to see that something from space is in their backyard.”
“I think a lot of kids are going to be doing their own research at home to continue seeing what happens and explore NASA and their opportunities,” she added.
As part of the application, Brown proposed some of the unique ways New Canaan students could work together while documenting and learning about the tree, especially with the Dome.
“Projects they come up with could be displayed on the Dome, so they can do their own work on that large screen for a data collection, for seasonal changes, for pollination,” she said. “There's so many different ways to utilize it.”
Outside of the classroom, Brown is fostering connections with local community organizations including the New Canaan Nature Center, New Canaan Garden Club and local Scouts to create collaborative learning experiences.
Most excited about the tree were Brown’s students, who have been closely following the progress of NASA’s return to manned missions to the moon and the many different kinds of experiments that happen in space, she said.
Taking care of the tree will be a community effort as well. While she currently waters the tree about twice a week, Brown said she is working on a plan for the summer with local parents with the gardening club to keep the tree healthy.
While this is only her second year teaching in New Canaan, Brown has already left a lasting mark on campus with the moon tree, which could live to be hundreds of years old.
“The kids were amazed to hear by the time it reaches its full height, they're going to be like 48 to 50 years old," Brown said.
As part of the tree’s future, Brown is looking to build an educational tree path along the school with signs to teach future students about the different plant species on campus, including its very special sycamore.
“It's nice to have a stamp on history and just be a part of bettering the community,” she said. “Having stories that go along with it as an educational route could definitely help with community members that may not be at school or even future generations just to learn about that journey.”