There aren’t many high school science labs where students can hold pieces of the Moon in their hands. But at Drew, they can.
Thanks to science teacher Luke Probst, Drew School is now certified by NASA to host and study authentic lunar samples and meteorites—materials collected during the historic Apollo missions. Last year, Luke traveled to a NASA site to complete a rigorous, on-site certification process that grants him lifetime authorization to handle and teach with these rare and carefully protected materials.
“It’s not just a bag of rocks,” Luke explains. “Each sample tells a story—how planets form, how they change over time, and even how Earth and the Moon are connected.”
The process to bring the moon rocks to Drew was no small feat. NASA requires strict security protocols, including approved storage and handling procedures. After initial hurdles and plenty of creative problem-solving (including conversations with a bank and the police department about safekeeping), Luke secured the materials—making Drew one of the only high schools in the region with this kind of access.
In his Spacecraft Science Experiential Elective (EE), Advanced Physics, and Honors Physics classes, Luke used the moon rocks as part of a hands-on investigation into planetary geology, spacecraft missions, and the formation of the solar system. Students explored the Apollo samples alongside lunar soil simulant and meteorite fragments, learning how scientists use these materials to uncover the history of our solar system.
For Drew students, this wasn’t just a science lesson—it was a detective story.
They examined how meteorites form, how collisions between asteroids shape new worlds, and how samples from the Moon offer a glimpse into Earth’s own ancient past.
Luke plans to make the lunar samples a permanent part of his annual curriculum, ensuring that every Drew student who studies space science has the chance to connect with this incredible piece of human history.
At Drew, that’s what hands-on learning looks like: rigorous, deeply curious, and out of this world.
