8 months ago
Pune Students Learn Discipline and Science on NASA Tour
Twenty-five students from Pune Zilla Parishad schools in India went on a 10-day trip to the United States.
They visited NASA centers and other places like Disney World.
The students were amazed by the cleanliness and discipline they saw in the US.
They learned about following rules, like traffic signals, and how people there take care of their surroundings.
The trip also made them more interested in science.
One student, Rudra, even changed his career goal from becoming an IPS officer to an astrophysicist after learning about space science.
The students and their teachers said this trip was a big learning experience for them.
25 underprivileged students from Pune Zilla Parishad schools visited the US for 10 days to explore NASA centers and other locations.
Students were selected through a rigorous process involving tests and interviews conducted by IUCAA.
The trip highlighted the contrast in discipline, cleanliness, and rule-following between the US and India.
Students gained firsthand knowledge about space science and astronaut training at the Kennedy Centre.
The experience inspired students to appreciate science and consider careers in astrophysics.
- Who
- 25 underprivileged students from Pune Zilla Parishad schools
- What
- A 10-day educational tour to the US to visit NASA centers and other places
- Where
- United States, including NASA centers, Kennedy Centre, Disney World, and Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
- When
- November 15-27
- Why
- To expose students to advanced space science and different cultural experiences
Key facts
- Number of Students
- 25
- Duration of Tour
- 10 days (November 15-27)
- Selection Process
- Two rounds of tests and one interview by IUCAA
- Organized By
- Pune Zilla Parishad
- Key Locations Visited
- NASA centers, Kennedy Centre, Disney World, Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Quotes
Rudra Morade
A Class 7 student at ZP School, Mordewadi, Pune
“There was so much cleanliness. The people follow the rules and don’t throw garbage around, and bins are installed everywhere. In India, the traffic police are present at signals to enforce rules. But in the US, we did not see any traffic police; everyone was following the rules.”
indianexpress.com
“Discipline and following rules were a big learning experience for me during my visit to the US. We have a lot of traffic here, but we saw that this was not the case there. We learnt that we must speak politely with everyone we meet.”
indianexpress.com
Pramila Jori
One of the four ZP teachers who accompanied the students on the trip
“Being away from their parents and doing their work on their own, lack of equality between men and women in India, following traffic signals and lane discipline — all of these things were visible to the children, and they were astounded by it.”
indianexpress.com
“The ATX (Astronaut Training Experience) at Kennedy Centre was the most enjoyable experience for the students. They got to learn first-hand about the kind of problems astronauts face in space and how they solve them in real time. And obviously, the visit to Disney World in Orlando was another favourite experience for many of the students.”
indianexpress.com
Pratap Musmade
Father of Kasturi, a Class 7 student at ZP Kendrashala Koregaon Bhima, Pune
“It was the first time my daughter stayed away from us on her own for so many days. She liked the discipline and cleanliness in the cities there. She told us about the traffic rules and the lack of accidents there. She got a lot of knowledge in the Nasa centre and enjoyed the communication skills she got to learn there.”
indianexpress.com
