Forty-five Porum freshman and sophomore GEAR UP students recently visited the Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium. Students explored exhibits throughout the museum, hearing about the aviation industry by utilizing various visual aids spanning over 12 years. Next, they toured the MD-80, which was donated to the museum by American Airlines. Students also explored interactive exhibits such as the Hot Air Balloon Simulator, Space Shuttle Launch, and the Space Shuttle Robotic Arm. Last on tour was the James E. Bertelsmeyer Planetarium. The Planetarium show explored the journey to the furthest reaches of our galaxy to experience both the awesome beauty and destructive power of “STARS.” Students were left in awe of the Planetarium experience.
The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017 and will serve more than 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.