Eagle Pointe Elementary Plants Tree From Seed That Orbited Moon

PLAINFIELD, IL — A tree planted on the grounds of Eagle Pointe Elementary School has orbited the moon.

You read that right. The tree was grown from a seed that traveled to the moon and back aboard NASA's Artemis 1 mission, an unmanned mission that launched in 2022, carrying about 2,000 tree seeds on its journey around the moon and back to Earth.

Once they came back down to Earth, the seeds were planted and nurtured into saplings.

Fifth-grade teacher Lisa Packley submitted an application for a seed to NASA in September last year and received the news in April that the school would be receiving one of the over-the-moon saplings, Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 officials said.

On May 17, fifth graders at Eagle Pointe celebrated by burying a time capsule next to the newly planted tree. The children then took turns adding dirt and mulch around the tree, commemorating the event with a ceremony that celebrated the new tree and its historic journey.

"This is truly a gift to bridge us into science, technology, and innovation," Packley said in a statement. "Students will be able to study the way the leaves grow, how the soil changes for years to come."

NASA chose sapling recipients based on their ability to care for the tree and maximize educational opportunities around its life and growth, district officials said.