It could only be compared to a presidential news conference.
Many anxious questioners jockeyed for the attention of the main speaker. Except this time the questioners were first-graders from Second Street School and the main speaker wasnt president of the United States, he was astronaut Norm Thagard.
The simulated news conference was part of Megaconference Jr. 2007, which connects students from schools around the world.
Megaconference Jr. started several years ago. according to Tim Smith, chief information officer for Frankfort Independent Schools.
Smith helped organize the event, which lasted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and allowed students from several nations to show cultural traditions, play games and, in the case of SSS first-graders, interact with guest speakers via an Internet 2 video connection.
"Its been good," Smith said following the event.
Students at Frankfort High School acted as VJs (video jockeys) to introduce a segment during the day, sixth-graders from SSS participated in a geometry lesson set-up like a game show and SSS first-graders listened as Thagard answered questions about his time in space.
Things went so well for FIS, the sixth-graders won buckeye candy from the geometry lesson host school in Ohio and the district won $12,000 worth of video conference computer equipment, Smith said.
"Our sixth-graders were real excited about that," he said about the candy prize. "They knew all the answers and it was a chance for them to interact with a school from Ohio."
First-grader Casey Lail was also excited. Even though his class didnt win candy, he was happy to hear a real astronaut, he said.
"Im glad to I get to see astronauts," Casey said.
He thought a video showing a rocket going to Mars was very cool.
"They landed on Mars!" he exclaimed. "I would want to do that."
Casey, a student in Candy Rotens class, said he wanted to ask the astronaut if he would like to live in space.
Unfortunately, the news conference-like atmosphere and popularity of the astronaut segment among schools participating in the Megaconference didnt allow Casey and many other SSS first-graders to ask Thagard a question.
Caroline Bramble, a first-grader in Christy Drurys class, was upset by the fact that other schools were trumping SSS time and only one student from her school could answer a question.
"The bad thing about it is they wont take turns," Caroline said.
Still, Caroline was pleased to hear a real astronaut talk about space. She said she even learned something new about walking in space.
"Its not a little walk, its a big walk, but you go fast," she said.
Smith said the interactive with Thagard was the most-attended event of the day.
"That was a hard interactive, but thats how it is with a big conference," he said following the event.
According to Smith, FHS was the only school in Kentucky participating in the Megaconference. He said by the end of 2007 all school districts in the state should have similar interactive programs through the Kentucky Education Network.
Since Feb. 8, 2006, city schools have participated in 50 events that allow connections to classrooms via video and Internet technology, Smith said.
He said the technology is wonderful for students.
"The real learning comes when you use this tool effectively," he said.