As children walked into the iLead space and innovation expo, they took a look into what’s possible beyond earth, exploring the science of planets, stars, and human life in space.

“What we’ve found is when kids do science is when they get excited about it,” said Kathleen Fredette, the director of STEAM initiatives at iLead Schools. “No one gets really gets excited about it in a book.”

As part of the expo, students from iLead Schools across Los Angeles County compiled research and came up with science experiments for astronauts to test in space. One of these experiments will eventually be sent into orbit.

“Eventually one project will fly to the International Space Station, and two pieces of artwork, and an astronaut will actually run the experiment on a space station,” Fredette said.

The experiments the students have come up with aim to provide valuable data for space exploration.

“Our research question is how does microgravity and cosmic radiation affect the growth of a glycinemax soybean seed,” said Pilot Saraceno, a 12-year-old student from iLead Encino.

In order to impart more knowledge about reaching towards the stars, a scientist from NASA made an appearance at the expo, explaining the importance of learning science young.

“I started as a kid doing an experiment like this, and becoming a scientist, so I can see myself in the students,” said Jacob Cohen, the chief scientist of the Ames Research Center in Santa Clara County. “They’re the next generation, they are actually what’s going to push the envelope across.”

A push that has much more behind it than just the scientific method.

“It just further benefits science in general, but it also really teaches you to work as a team, it just teaches you a lot of good life lessons.” said Saraceno.

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