Stellar celebration: 50 years in space

Celebrations rang out in Russia and around the world to mark the 50th anniversary of humankind's first-ever space mission. On Tuesday, April 12, 1961, a Russian air force pilot named Yuri Gagarin became the first human to venture into space. Meantime, there was also reason for celestial celebration in the U.S. as we recognized the 30-year anniversary of the space shuttle program.

Arctic adventure: North Pole “discovered” 102 years ago

On April 6, 1909, explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson, along with a team of Inuit, became the first to reach the North Pole. The journey began with an entourage of 23 men, 133 dogs, and 19 sleds. But as the team traveled further north, they lightened their loads and reduced the size of the party. Only six men, including Peary and Henson, were left to step foot on the North Pole.

Helping to preserve Saguaro cacti in the Arizona desert

During their spring adventure to the Grand Canyon, our students ventured into the Saguaro National Park with U.S. park rangers to compile a comprehensive inventory on the Giant Saguaro Cactus, which can grow up to 80 feet. Data collected by the students will be used to determine environmental impacts on the growth patterns of the cactus, an important part of the desert ecosystem. "The desert landscape was amazing; we couldn't believe the size of this huge Saguaro cacti!" posted Jessi.

Students become film editors during Discovery Channel visit

Talk about exclusive access! During their spring trip to Washington, D.C., our students went behind the scenes at the Discovery Channel, touring the network’s technical center and rubbing elbows with executive producers from “MythBusters” and “Frozen Planet.” The Discovery Student Adventures group even had an opportunity to edit their own promo video for a new TV series. “With assistance from a professional editing director, we made an excellent video set to music,” says Discovery Student Adventures program manager Chris Osborne. “It was surreal!”