What it’s Like to Go to Space Camp

One perk for Honeywell employees is the opportunity for their kids to attend the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for a week of learning. 

The 10th Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy, held in Huntsville, Alabama, promoted student interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields while building leadership skills. 

The week’s activities are focused on aviation, space, and rocketry. Students built and launched model rockets with sensor payloads, guided teammates through a simulated space shuttle mission, and took a ride in a Multi-Axis Trainer like those used by Mercury program pilots in the 1950s and 1960s.

Students at this year’s camp shared their coolest moments.

Sam Staggs, 17

Hometown: Peoria, Arizona

Parent: Kevin Staggs, senior fellow

Coolest thing at camp: “I loved the courses on giving presentations and learning how to get others involved.”

Kelsey Coutts, 18

Hometown: Elthan, Australia

Parent: Craig Coutts, senior health, safety, and environment engineer

Coolest thing at camp: “I got to learn about a wide range of STEM fields.”

David Avila Vale, 17 

Hometown: Moca, Puerto Rico

Parent: Marisol Vale, senior accounting supervisor

Coolest thing at camp: “I learned how to make connections with people from all over the world. I never thought I would make friends with people from other countries.”

Isha Sachdeva, 16

Hometown: Gurgaon, India

Parent: Anupama Sachdeva, lead administrative assistant

Coolest thing at camp: “I loved learning about leadership: how to give speeches and maintain the interest of your audience.”

Rachel Usher, 17

Hometown: Worthing, United Kingdom

Parent: Jackie Usher, senior technical support professional

Coolest thing at camp: “I got to meet the woman engineer who makes space suits and flight suits.”

Martha Leon Casas, 16 

Hometown: Ciudad Juárez, Mexico

Parent: Federico Leon Orozco, senior test manufacturing engineer

Coolest thing at camp: “In all the activities, I learned how to work with a team.”

Kara Wilson, 16

Hometown: Randolph, New Jersey

Parent: Maribel Wilson, vice president and chief technology officer, Advanced Materials

Coolest thing at camp: “I loved creating a heat shield and learning everything that goes into building something like that.”