Tenth-grade Lakewood High School CAT students will be going to Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 2. Students will get to learn about American spaceflight, and they will have to complete two lessons designed for visitors.

“I think it is great. … It is a natural resource for us here in Florida … particularly for students,” computer science teacher Ron Schnell said.

The trip costs $45 per student and Lakewood will provide a bus service to help with transportation.

“I am the primary organizer, but there are seven other staff members going and a couple of parents,” Schnell said.

The primary organizers include assistant principal Cristina Calderon, network administrator Christopher Borg, physics teacher Ryan Frewin, science teacher Jennifer Pacowta, health sciences teacher Erika Miller and math teacher Kayla Smith.

At Kennedy Space Center, students will be required to wear face masks in all indoor locations.

Admission to the center includes Space Shuttle Atlantis featuring the Shuttle Launch Experience, The Apollo/ Saturn V Center, Heroes & Legends featuring the U.S. Astronaut Mission Control – The Unsung Heroes of Apollo, Space films in the IMAX theater, Journey to Mars: Explorers Wanted and The Rocket Garden.

All 100 spots have been filled for this expedition.

“I wanted to go on this field trip because a lot of my friends are going and I feel like it will be fun,” sophomore Ryan Palmer said.

A couple of years ago, 50 Lakewood CAT students went to Kennedy Space Center.

“I thought this experience was inspirational,” Schnell said. As a result, he has decided to bring even more students on this latest trip.

“I’m so excited because it’s something that I’ve never experienced before,” sophomore Jada Fields said.

Schnell said he is thrilled to take Lakewood students on this trip.

“I mean gosh, you’re standing underneath a Saturn rocket. You’re seeing and experiencing something that’s just three hours away. It’s flippin’ amazing,” Schnell said.

Clarification: While the field trip to Kennedy Space Center is officially a sophomore trip, Schnell said he has also allowed the students in his own classes to attend as he will be chaperoning.