posted 05-12-2008 05:35 PM               

It was really a bicoastal event with the kids from Valley Christian School leading off the event with the pledge of Allegiance and national anthem and students from Richmond Hill Community Center in New York responding.

Second to sixth grade students got to ask Reisman about everything from food to how they get around in space. They were led in California by their teacher Pamela Leestma, the cousin of the three mission former shuttle astronaut Dave Leetsma. The New York teacher was Neme Alperstein.

Reisman had some fun with the children showing how easy it was to push around an 80 lb. container of water in near Zero-G conditions, and bouncing off the walls for them.

He looked to be in excellent condition and when asked what he thought was the most significant moment was in space exploration he replied to the kids, "March 21 of this year as that was the day I was launched into orbit". He also said that he looked forward to the launch of the upcomming shuttle mission in two weeks.

The event closed with a prayer from Dr. Robert H. Schuller the founding pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA.

The event took almost three years to set up for the 350 kids attending the event.