When students at Freedom Crossing Academy stepped off the bus earlier this month, they weren’t just walking into school—they were stepping into space. The hallways glowed with stars and lights, classrooms were transformed into interactive labs, and a 25-foot planetarium filled the gym. For one unforgettable week, the entire school orbited around discovery.
“It’s all about highly engaging, out-of-the-box teaching,” said Principal Melissa Lime. “We want our students to walk in and say, ‘Wow!’ That’s when I know we’ve created something special”
Freedom Crossing’s annual Rock Your School celebration is part of an international movement designed to make learning the “best day ever.” Since opening in 2018, the school has embraced this immersive experience each year—but this time, they took it to new heights.
This year’s theme, “Breaking Barriers to Infinity and Beyond,” wove together STEM and space exploration. Each grade level designed hands-on lessons that blended science, technology, engineering, and math with their regular curriculum. “Our fourth graders studied food chains and asked, ‘If we lived on another planet, what would that look like?’” Lime explained. “Third grade built egg ‘astronauts’ for a drop challenge. It was about bringing the standards to life.”
The weeklong experience began with the Museum of Arts and Sciences’ portable planetarium, complete with meteorites, telescopes, and a Mars map large enough to fill a room. Middle school robotics students led rover coding stations, while community partners like Code Ninjas and RoboThink guided younger students through drone flights, circuits, and LEGO challenges.
Behind the magic was a culture of collaboration. Freedom Crossing’s Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) team, teachers, and PTO spent nearly a year planning every detail. The PTO funded major elements, such as bringing the museum to campus, while local businesses donated supplies and expertise. “Our parents and community are all in,” Lime said. “They see the value of these experiences and want every student to have access.”
Even more impressive, the school’s focus on STEM and space is continuing beyond Rock Your School Week. Throughout the year, teachers are embedding space-themed learning into everything from Red Ribbon Week (“Blast Off to a Bright Future”) to literacy celebrations. Students are writing postcards to space, learning about women in STEM, and connecting with scientists at the University of Florida’s Thompson Earth Systems Institute through the statewide Scientists in Every Florida School program.
“We really looked at our data,” Lime said. “Our students needed more engagement around rocks and minerals, so we partnered with UF scientists to connect lessons about asteroids and meteorites. It’s data-driven, standards-based, and fun.”
Across St. Johns County, schools are finding creative ways to make STEM accessible—from robotics clubs and science fairs to partnerships with local universities and industry experts. These experiences build the curiosity and critical thinking skills that prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
For Lime, the heart of the work goes beyond technology. “Maybe this is the moment,” she said, “when a student says, ‘I remember learning about the planets at FCA—that’s when I wanted to be a scientist.’ That spark can last a lifetime.”
