Orleans/Niagara BOCES Fashion Design/Interior Decorating students have been partnering with the NASA HUNCH program. The HUNCH mission is to empower and inspire students through a Project Based Learning program in which high school students learn 21st century skills and have the opportunity to launch their careers through participation in the design and fabrication of real world valued products for NASA.
During the 2023-2024 academic year, teacher Debbie Wilczak and her students in the senior fashion design class completed their first sewing project, making softgood pouches that can hold personal care items for astronauts in flight.
Gene Gordon their NASA HUNCH Mentor stopped by the classroom at Niagara Career and Technical Education Center, and brought a locker for the students to sign before it goes up to the International Space Station.
“We very proudly signed our names,” Wilczak said. “Adding our signatures to the locker and knowing it will make its way to space is very exciting for all of us.”