December 11, 2024 – Snow Hill Elementary students recently had an out-of-this-world experience as retired NASA educator and researcher Billy Hix visited the school with his portable planetarium. The event was a day filled with awe, wonder, and hands-on learning as students journeyed through the night sky, explored constellations, and learned about the solar system—all from the comfort of their school gym. Students retain 75% of what they learn when they practice what they learned and 50% of what they learn when engaged in a group discussion. Both of these are used often during the experience as Billy is constantly checking with quizzes about what certain stars/ planets/ galaxies will look like before he zooms in and having the kids talk about what they are seeing and what they are about to see.
Billy travels all around the country, mostly focused on rural schools, similar to the one he himself grew up in. Growing up in rural poverty, Billy had once aspired to work for NASA. He was told by those around him and felt that it was not possible to achieve his career aspirations. However, he was very determined and through hard work, he not only achieved his dream but also became a leading figure in science education, recognized nationally for his contributions to astronomy and science. He has dedicated his retirement to showing children that anything is possible and introducing them to the many possibilities for careers beyond what they might have originally thought was an option for them, no matter their starting point.
Billy brings, sets up, and presents his sessions, along with the help of his wife. During the 45-minute sessions, students from grades three to six are introduced to the wonders of our universe. Mr. Hix shares stories of Greek mythology linked to the constellations, explains the phases of the moon, provides close-up views of planets and their moons, and talks about stars, galaxies, and what they look like at various points in their life span. His passion for astronomy and education shines through as he connects complex scientific concepts to the standards they are learning in their classrooms. The students weren’t the only ones fascinated when they walked through into the darkened dome, teachers and staff were popping in and out as they could, all with the same child-like wonder of the students. They were encouraged to take some of what he was teaching back to their own classrooms so they can continue to fuel their students’ curiosity.
Billy offers 10 free visits each year to rural elementary schools. Four of those were to Hamilton County this year which includes Snow Hill, Ooltewah Elementary, North Hamilton County Elementary School, and Lookout Mountain Elementary School. His award-winning work continues to inspire over 72,000 students and teachers since he began his outreach efforts in 2009. We hope to have him and his wife at more of our schools in the future.