Spring Break Was a Blast
Posted April 11, 2012
In early March Delbarton students enjoyed a two week break from classes. Some were immersed in spring training for sports teams, some took family vacations. Junior Brian Walsh '13 had a different idea: Brian visited the U. S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL., after being selected for the Honeywell Leadership Institute five-day program for the teenage children of employees.
Visitors to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center learn all about the making of the moon rocket, the space race, the Apollo missions, the Space Shuttle program, the International Space Station and NASA's future missions. They can trace the evolution of man's ventures into space and watch tomorrow's potential engineers, scientists and astronauts (like Brian Walsh) train in one of the Space Camp or Aviation Challenge Programs.
Walsh reports that his program brought together campers from all over the world who were divided into two teams -- Walsh was part of mission control -- then tested with life and death challenges that confront actual space missions. He even got to take Air Force One for a spin via the Center's flight simulator. Read all about Brian's experience here on Patch.com.
Does Brian want to be an astronaut? He used to, but not anymore. Now his goal is to design rockets or planes and work for NASA or a private company like Virgin Galactic where you can currently join 430 other civilian astronauts who have already booked space flights. That's thanks to Richard Branson, oops, make that Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic and now Virgin Galactic founder, a man with a dream.
Back down on earth at Delbarton, Walsh participates in robotics as a member of the Engineering Club, manages varsity soccer, and is a Junior dean. This summer he is off to Tanzania for Delbarton's BEADS mission to assist Benedictine schools in Africa.
We salute Brian Walsh, another man with a dream, for finding an uplifting way to spend his down time. To infinity and beyond, Brian!
