A glimpse of space – Press Gazette

MILTON — Berryhill Elementary welcomed a special guest to visit its Feb. 1 for Literacy Week — astronaut Don Thomas.

Thomas is a veteran of four space flights. He has spent 44 days in space and orbited the Earth nearly 700 times.

As part of his presentation to the students, Thomas showed pictures of his trip into space, and told stories of his journey. He said the space program was planning a trip to Mars within the next twenty years.

"But it won't be me going," he told the students. "It will be your generation going."

Berryhill Elementary employee Michaela Bush said that the students were engaged during the presentations. She said they asked Thomas questions about his suit and about how the ship worked. She said students wanted to know about zero gravity and how Earth looked from space.

"It's been a great experience," she said.

Bush said she was so happy when Thomas agreed to come to the school to speak to the students.

"I began talking to Mr. Thomas last May when I found his website from a Google search," she said. "Our school theme this year is space related and I hoped to have our Literacy Week reflect that theme."

Bush said they then reached out to all the media specialists in the county to see if any other schools would like to have him come visit. She said Thomas was also visiting nine other schools in the county.

"This is something that we are extremely excited about and an event that we hope will make a lifetime impact on the kids."