Youth Services System’s (YSS) Ronald C. Mulholland Juvenile Center (RMJC) was one of 16 schools selected by the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium to compete in NASA’s Plant the Moon Challenge.
The Plant the Moon Challenge, in alignment with NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program, was an 8-week contest to grow plants in at least 50% regolith, loose dust and rock material found on the Moon.
The students at RMJC received three bags of simulated Moon regolith in mid-February and set up three different experiments handled by different groups of students. Teachers Dr. Jane Neuenschwander, Michael O’Connell, Carl Carpenter, and Lois Elias guided students as they
explored how seeds germinate and grow. All students participated in designing and conducting scientific experiments for this project.
The Lincoln Team at RMJC researched soil density with Mr. O’Connell and created a special potting soil mix to add to the regolith. They won the NASA Plant the Moon State Level Best of Show Growth Award for West Virginia in the High School category for their work.
There were surprising results, and many lessons learned by all participants. When interviewed, the students felt they had not only won an award from NASA for their project but also selfesteem from working on a NASA challenge.
For more information about Youth Services System, Inc., visit: https://www.youthservicessystem.org/
