In Lake Forest, California, a special tree was planted at Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary School, delighting the students dressed in spacesuits and star-themed attire. The tree, known as the “Moon Tree,” was grown from seeds that had been flown around the moon. During a ceremony at the school, the Moon Tree was wheeled out in a wagon, with students carrying shovels to help plant it in its new home.
Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary School, which educates around 500 students from kindergarten to twelfth grade, was chosen to receive a seedling for a giant sequoia grown from seeds flown on NASA’s Artemis I Mission in 2022.
The event was a source of excitement for the students, with sixth-grader Emily Aguesse expressing her enthusiasm, saying, “I’ve always wanted to go to space, but this motivates it even more.” This initiative marks the second time that NASA has flown seeds into space and returned them for planting. The first generation of Moon Trees, grown from seeds carried by an astronaut on the Apollo 14 mission in 1971, were planted in various states across the country.
The recent batch of seedlings, including the Moon Tree at Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary School, aims to promote science and conservation education among students and the public. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Paul Propster highlighted the importance of inspiring the next generation of explorers through such initiatives.
While the impact of space travel on plant growth is still being studied, NASA and the Forest Service flew nearly 2,000 seeds from five tree species aboard the Orion spacecraft in 2022. These seeds were then grown into young trees, such as sycamores, sweetgums, Douglas firs, loblolly pines, and giant sequoias, for distribution to schools and museums.
The Moon Tree at Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary School was planted in a space-themed outdoor garden, adorned with stones painted by students. The school’s parent and teacher association, along with community volunteers, will care for the tree as it grows alongside the students over the years.
As colorful ropes were laid out to illustrate the tree’s potential growth over the next 50 and 500 years, parent Liz Gibson remarked, “This tree will grow with the kids.” The ceremony not only planted a tree but also planted a seed of curiosity and wonder for the future generations of students at the school.
By Amy Taxin
