Reaching Beyond The Sky | Issue 2025

THE LEGACY OF THE ISS PROGRAM AT VCS
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Past: Planting Seeds in Space

A BOLD BEGINNING

In 2009, Valley Christian set its sights on a dream that seemed almost impossible: sending student experiments to the International Space Station (ISS). What began as a casual conversation with Werner Vavken, alumni parent and VCS Prayer Intercessor, soon grew into one of the most innovative high school STEM programs in the world.

Dr. Daugherty, saw in this vision an opportunity to make the school truly unique. “If we can lead people to Christ and get them started on a Quest, then everything else becomes meaningful,” he said. With that conviction, he prompted Vavken and gathered pioneers, like alum parent Dan Saldana, and Howell Ivy, who had current students at the time, all eager to bring the dream to life.

They believed that real innovation was born through application, not theory alone. It was during this time that, VCHS teacher, Jim Oliphant coined the name Applied Math, Science, & Engineering (AMSE), a title that captured both the program’s purpose and its spirit of exploration.

A PERSONAL MISSION

For Saldana, the mission was personal. “Based on my experience leading CubeSat projects at Stanford and NASA, I saw the opportunity to give students something similar,” he said.

“And to fulfill a promise to my dying father, that I would spend my retirement giving back to society.”

Ivy, who came from a video game and hardware background, remembered the grit of those early days. “Nobody had done anything like this before. We were Nanoracks’ first customer, the first commercial payload aboard the ISS. We were building in the quad, hiding tools under stairways, working in the rain. It was tough, but we kept going.”

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

The vision was simple: give students real-world experience. “This program gave them the chance to take an idea all the way from conception to a deliverable product on a timeline,” Ivy said. “Rockets don’t wait.” Saldana added, “It gave them opportunities in aerospace, computer science, and data analysis by engaging them in real-world space projects.”

EARLY REWARDS AND RECOGNITION

The rewards came quickly. “Having the astronauts plug it in and bring it back to Earth, that was remarkable,” Dr. Daugherty recalled. The first student plant-growth experiment launched from Japan and even received attention from national leaders. Media coverage sparked a surge of applications to VCS, as families recognized the significance of the program.

A LASTING LEGACY

For the founders, the legacy was never about hardware alone. “To continue the Quest for Excellence,” Dr. Daugherty said simply. Saldana reflected with gratitude: “I thank God for the opportunity to develop a program that has allowed over 2,000 students worldwide to send experiments to space.” Ivy summed it up as character building: “Confidence, creativity, and courage not to fear failure. Skills that carry into college, industry, and life.”

Present: A High-Tech Sandbox of Dreams

SPACE AS THE LIMIT

More than a decade later, the ISS program has evolved into what Program Manager Dr. Kim Taylor calls “a high-tech sandbox for students to play in.” Within that sandbox, the only limits are safety regulations and imagination.

“In the ISS, space is the limit,” Dr. Taylor said with a smile. “Students are encouraged to build on the work of those before them, research carefully, and add something new to the body of knowledge.” For her colleague, Emeka Okekeocha, director of AMSE programs, the results have been inspiring. “It has given students the courage to dream big, and experiences some colleges do not offer,” he said.

GROWTH THROUGH DISCIPLINE

The program demanded discipline, but also offered growth. “Students dedicate four hours per week to ISS. That time teaches planning, time management, and strategic thinking,” Dr. Taylor explained. Okekeocha added, “It has opened eyes to career paths in fields like engineering and biology. Beyond academics, it has built teamwork, friendships, and collaboration.”

THE HEART OF MENTORSHIP

The heart of the program, both agreed, has always been mentorship. “Students mentor each other, alumni mentor current teams, and adult mentors share knowledge freely,” Dr. Taylor said. “That cycle of giving is what makes the program effective.” Okekeocha echoed the thought: “The freedom students have to design experiments in microgravity sparks creativity and uncovers passions that last a lifetime.”

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

Challenges came too. Dr. Taylor recalled a year of repeated launch delays due to spacecraft issues. “We had no launch date until the next academic year,” she said. Even so, the community pressed on. The program continued to evolve technically and culturally, shifting to Arduino programming, establishing alumni Zoom calls each Thanksgiving, and introducing student Fellows who bridged gaps between mentors and teams.

HEROES OF THE PROGRAM

“The experiments are important, but the real heroes are the people who shared their knowledge and embraced challenges,” Dr. Taylor said. The program, Okekeocha added, also set VCS apart in the Bay Area. “Some students even published peer-reviewed papers. That kind of excellence reflects both innovation and community spirit.”

AN ENDURING IMPACT

The impact is clear: from lab benches to launch pads, students have learned to dream, to build, and to reach farther than they thought possible.

Future: A Legacy That Points Forward

As the ISS program continues, the vision of its founders and leaders points forward with hope.

Dr. Taylor sees opportunities to build on the foundation. “I’d love to see more alumni coming back to mentor, and even bigger projects that push students to innovate in ways we can’t yet imagine.” Alumni who once launched experiments are now researchers, engineers, and mentors in their own right, carrying the legacy into new places.

For Ivy, the heart of the program is what matters most. “Keep the heart of it alive,” he said. “It is not just about projects or competitions. It is about sparking curiosity, building confidence, and showing students that they can impact the world.”

Danny Kim, current vice president and director of K-12 AMSE, reflected on the unique power of the program. “I believe there is not a better motivator for project-driven learning than the possibility to send an experiment to the ISS,” he said. “This motivation not only worked for high-performing students, who wanted to expand their skills and push themselves to accomplish something out of this world, but it also worked amazingly when applied to underserved or underperforming students. This would awaken a newfound interest in science and when you are able to send an experiment to space, it boosted the confidence of those who needed it the most.”

Looking ahead, the ISS program continues to point students toward bigger dreams and greater discoveries, reminding them that reaching beyond the sky is only the beginning.

ISS PROGRAM PATCHES
More than a patch — a badge of courage, collaboration, and exploration. The ISS program designs a commemorative patch each year to honor the team of missions and explorations.

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