What began as a simple Veterans Day card project has blossomed into an out-of-this-world adventure for the third-grade girls at Springside Chestnut Hill (SCH) Academy. Thanks to alumna Cortney Neverosky ‘24, a student at the Naval Academy, the girls connected with retired Navy pilot and former NASA engineer Rick Yasky.
Yasky was so grateful for the “thank-you-for-your-service” cards the girls sent him that he wrote back, sharing more about his career and making a promise: He would arrange for every girl’s name to be included on the Artemis II rocket via a computer card.
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What began as a simple Veterans Day card project has blossomed into an out-of-this-world adventure for the third-grade girls at Springside Chestnut Hill (SCH) Academy. Thanks to alumna Cortney Neverosky ‘24, a student at the Naval Academy, the girls connected with retired Navy pilot and former NASA engineer Rick Yasky.
Yasky was so grateful for the “thank-you-for-your-service” cards the girls sent him that he wrote back, sharing more about his career and making a promise: He would arrange for every girl’s name to be included on the Artemis II rocket via a computer card.
This connection and opportunity came at the right time as teachers Laura McManus and Marisol Booth’s students dove into their lesson on outer space. Yasky became a real-world resource for the students as they engaged in a series of hands-on space assignments. And he kept his promise. The girls’ names went into space.
“Having my name on the Artemis II rocket feels extraordinary and amazing,” said Maayan, an SCH third grader, when she found out the news.
SCH teachers were equally excited, especially as it signaled to the girls that a little kindness can go a long way.
“I’m incredibly proud of how the girls’ kindness has come full circle. It’s a beautiful moment where their education truly connects with the real world and the Artemis II launch,” McManus said.
Working with Eliza Culp in the school’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, the students designed and built their own 3D rocket models. They also transformed their doors for the Black History Hall of Fame, spotlighting the legacy of NASA pioneers Dr. Christine Darden and Mary Jackson. The class also visited The Franklin Institute, where the girls explored the space exhibit and found inspiration under the planetarium’s dome.
Through an alumna connection, devoted teachers and a real-world engineer, the final frontier no longer feels so far away. And the four astronauts aboard Artemis II, who by circling the moon last week set a new record for traveling farther into space than any other human beings, returned to Earth safely on Friday evening.
