Ridgewood Kids Continue 40-Year Tradition Of Flying

RIDGEWOOD, NJ – For nearly four decades, Hawes Elementary has launched young minds into space through its annual Space Week program.

The program was founded in 1986 by second grade teacher Terry Dunn and physical education teacher Dave Jenkins, who wanted to share their passion for space exploration with students.

What began as a mission to a space station orbiting Earth has evolved over time, and since 2015, the journey has taken students on simulated missions to Mars, aligning with real-world advancements in space exploration.

Space Week blends science, technology, art, and physical education.

Although it's part of the science curriculum, the program extends across multiple subjects.

In the library, students explore constellations and planets inside an inflatable planetarium.

In gym class, the students train like astronauts with climbing and swinging activities.

Music class incorporates space themed-music, encouraging students to move their bodies to mimic celestial formations.

Themes

Each year, the program introduces a new theme. This year, the theme was the future. Each grade focused on a specific topic—such as toys, transportation, or homes—designing what these items might look like 100 years from now.

Previous themes have celebrated historic milestones, including the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, during which students reenacted the Apollo mission with a full-scale lunar lander model. Other themes have explored space exploration, featuring the New Horizons probe’s flyby of Pluto and the Mars rover Curiosity’s mission.

Students suit up in blue and orange astronaut uniforms (a tradition that once featured silver suits reminiscent of 1950s sci-fi movies). While the suits are reused annually, the sense of adventure is fresh every year. The program is flexible, allowing teachers to tailor lessons to their class’s interests and integrate space-themed activities into various subjects.

The current Space Week committee consists of John Otterstedt, Tom Harney, Ellen Raupp, Jessica Roth, Susan Enright, and Tom Trubac. Their efforts extend beyond the school year with a summer Space Camp, originally created by Dunn and Jenkins. The camp offers daily planetarium visits, astronaut training, hands-on crafts, and interactive games that deepen students’ understanding of space.

This summer, the camp will run from June 30-July 11, 2025 and a second session will be held July 14-25. Details will appear on the school’s website later this spring.