Hanover students win top honors in global NASA-backed space challenge
VENN
HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A team of Oak Knoll Middle School students has earned international recognition for their innovative work in space science.
Led by science teacher Kara Zedaker, the team was named Best Overall Middle School Team in the Plant the Moon NASA Regional Space Grant Expansion Project — a global science experiment and research challenge focused on growing vegetable crops in lunar soil simulant.
(Photo: Hanover County Public Schools)
(Photo: Hanover County Public Schools)
(Photo: Hanover County Public Schools)
The competition brought together more than 420 middle and high school teams from across the globe, with students conducting experiments, analyzing plant growth in moon-like conditions, and presenting their findings to a panel of experts.
As a reward for their outstanding submission, the Oak Knoll team traveled to Florida and the Kennedy Space Center at the end of June for an awards ceremony and immersive space experiences. They also took home an additional international accolade: the “Best in Show” award from the Institute of Competition Sciences.
This dual recognition highlights both the scientific rigor and creativity of the Hanover County students, marking a major achievement for the school and community.
