Let’s Go To Space Camp!
Hello 6 grade families,
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The trip to Space Camp is an exciting opportunity for our sixth graders! The Pathfinder program
at the Huntsville, Alabama US Space and Rocket Center site, is a three day, two night
opportunity for students to explore space in a hands-on way. This is unlike anything we can
create at school. Throughout the experience, students will work in teams while participating in a
program that includes a space mission, space history, and astronaut training on authentic
astronaut simulators! During the simulated space mission, trainees work in mission control or
launch as a part of the flight crew.
Once on campus, students will remain at the Huntsville center for all meals and activities. They
will be chaperoned by ECS adults, but will be guided by NASA staff through all camp activities.
Teamwork and collaboration will be essential components of the experience. The time at space
camp is busy. There will be little “down time.”
Once evening activities are complete, students will head to the dorms. The rooms are assigned
by school and arranged accordingly. Boys and girls will be assigned different floors. Space
camp instructors are assigned hall duty each night. They will enforce lights out and no noise
policies throughout the night. In addition, Endeavor chaperones will be located in rooms near
the students.
Sample itinerary for the trip:
 leave ECS at 3:00 AM 3/16/16 (Yes, that says 3:00 AM!)
 bus stops to switch drivers and for a few bathroom breaks
 arrive in Huntsville @ 1:00 PM est/ 12:00 PM central
 group and team activities at Space Camp
 depart Huntsville @ 12:00 PM 3/18/16 after graduation ceremonies end
 bus stops for bathroom breaks and for a fast food dinner
 return to ECS at @ 11:59 PM 3/18/16
Daily Activities:
 space history
 space mission
 astronaut training on authentic astronaut simulators (during the simulated space mission,
trainees work in mission control or launch as part of the flight crew)
 five degrees of freedom chair
 multi axis trainer
 public museum simulators
 IMAX or digital movie
An additional part of the adventure for our students is the trip to and from space camp. A nine
hour bus trip provides plenty of time for sleeping, snacking, and movie watching! Phones will be
packed beneath the bus during the rides, but each evening at camp, students will have the
opportunity to call home.
The trip to space camp has become a rite of passage for our students as they enter middle
school at Endeavor. However, we realize that it is a costly trip. The final cost of the three day
trip will be $483.25. To help families handle this cost, we have organized some fundraising
options. We hope interested families will use these options to help decrease their out-of-pocket
space camp costs.
Funding
resource
How does this work?
Is this optional?
When will
this
occur?
PAWS field
trip support
PAWS will donate $122.37 per child
attending space camp
for all students
attending space
camp
1st quarter
Auto Bell Car
Wash cards
Students sell Auto Bell car wash cards. For
each $16 card sold, that child will keep $8
toward his/her own trip fee.
optional
2nd
quarter
Scrips
Families purchase gift cards to businesses.
The card is worth the exact purchase price
(no fees). ECS earns a percentage of each
card sold.
Profit is split
equally among
students.
all year
Winter
Dance
All profits from the December dance go to
defer the cost of space camp.
Profit is applied to
the total cost of
space camp.
2nd
quarter
Payment schedule:
Payment due date
Amount due
September 25: non-refundable deposit due to hold spot $200
November 13
$100
February 1
remainder of final cost
FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Is there a curfew? If so, what time? How is it policed?
The curfew changes nightly. Typically, students are in the rooms with lights out by 10 PM.
2. How many kids stay in each dorm room?
When we are held in dorm rooms, there are up to seven students per room. When we stay in
barracks, every single boy in the grade level will be in one room while every single girl will be in
another. We will not know if we are assigned to dorms or barracks until the week prior to
departure, and we have no control over this outcome.
3. How does showering, brushing teeth, etc. work? Is there a private bathroom in each dorm
room or is there a big, shared facility? Boys and girls are typically separated by floors. There is
a dormitory-style bathrooms with rows of sinks, toilets, and shower stalls. Students have 30
minutes to shower, brush teeth, get dressed and ready to begin their day. At night, this process
repeats. It works best for half the students to shower in the mornings and the other half at night.
4. May I/ should I pack snacks for my child? Space camp does not allow outside food. We will,
however, have snacks available on the bus.
5. If my child takes medication, how will it be dispensed? In the past, teachers have dispensed
medication as needed per a student prescription.
6. If my child gets super homesick or has an immediate medical need, how will that be handled?
There is a triage nurse on staff at Space Camp. Space camp will handle transportation should
we need it. If the emergency is anxiety based, the teachers will ensure that the student
has immediate access to a phone.
7. Should I send cash with my child? How much? For what will it be used? There is a gift shop
on campus and we find that students like to purchase souvenirs. They will also need cash for a
fast food meal on our trip home to NC from Space camp. $50 cash should be more than
enough.
8. Will I be receiving updates from the teachers and/or my child so that I know all is well?
Teachers will have a parent point of contact who will lead the charge in sharing pictures, stories,
and updates. This parent will also be our point of contact for bus arrival times, etc.
9. Is there any opportunity for boys and girls to "visit" one another in the dorm rooms? Students
will be in mixed-gender groups throughout the day but will be separated by floors during
sleeping hours. Our day is so jam-packed that there is simply no time for visitation.
10. Is there a bathroom on the bus? Yes.
11. Should my child take his/her own pillow? Blanket? (for the bus ride) We encourage students
to bring a pillow and sleeping bag from home.
12. What should my child pack? How many items of clothing? Will he or she have access to a
laundry facility? We will distribute a packing list with specifics and will review the list with the
students.