Associated Press - November 26, 2009 9:25 AM ET
MANASSAS, Va. (AP) - Students at a northern Virginia school have made a trip to space - at least by name, that is.
Sinclair Elementary School students in Mansassas signed a poster in May that was scanned onto a disc and sent aboard the space shuttle Atlantis on Nov. 16.
Principal Donna Fagerholm says sending the kids' signatures on the space shuttle gives them a "personal connection" to their studies.
Fourth-grader Joel Brown says it's "cool" because an astronaut would get to see their names and remember them.
Teacher Beth Mruzek says the scanned poster will make its way back to the school in about eight weeks. It will come with a photo of the Atlanis crew and a flight certification.
The shuttle is scheduled to land Friday morning at NASA's spaceport in Florida.
Information from: Manassas Journal Messenger, http://www.manassasjm.com
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