Panama Students Experience Dayton Storm
Wed Feb 8 2012
Students in Panama got a change of sorts from their constant warm climate when they took part in the STORM-e weather simulation via the Challenger Learning Center Tuesday.
STORM-E is aimed at elementary students and the version used for Crossroads Christian Academy in Balboa, Panama, asks participants to determine whether to cancel an upcoming air show in Dayton, OH, because of threatening weather, including a possible tornado.
Kathleen Frank, assistant director of the Challenger Learning Center for e-Missions, said the students and teachers at Crossroads Christian Academy were really excited about the mission because it taught them about how the weather changes so drastically in other areas.
Crossroads Christian Academy was founded as a ministry of Crossroads Bible Church in 1997 by a small group of missionaries, pastors, and other parents. Today the school has grown to more than 200 full-time students and includes grades PK4-12 . The students represent a wide spectrum of backgrounds. Currently, 35 percent of students are Panamanian citizens, 22 percent are U.S. citizens, and the others are citizens from countries including Bolivia, Turks & Caicos, Jamaica, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Mexico, Russia, Canada, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Venezuela. More than 60 percent of the students hold a foreign passport, with the majority from the English-speaking world.
This e-Mission marked the 16th country the Challenger Learning Center has delivered a mission to outside the United States.
