Student Shane Shea builds a space shuttle robot Friday during “Space Day” at Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Eighth-grade teacher Jamie Karaffa works Friday with Callie Somma as Somma and Tavon Montanez build rockets during “Space Day” at Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Sharon Eggleston of Brunswick directs students Friday during “Space Day” at Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland. Eggleston, a retired engineer with Lockheed Martin, has been organizing “Space Day” events across Maine for 24 years. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Bruce M. Whittier Middle School students Isaac Robbins, center, and Ethan Fullilove talk Friday with Charlie Groves about the space blanket Robbins is wearing during “Space Day” at the school in Poland. Groves helps build missile defense systems at Lockheed Martin. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Anthony Perez of the U.S. Navy talks Friday about robots with seventh-graders Justice Levasseur, center, and Grace David during “Space Day” at Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland. Perez works with fire control systems within the Aegis class of ships. He taught students how the use of robots relates to his job. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

A paper airplane lands in Lt. Rhonda O’Shea’s hair Friday during “Space Day” at Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland. O’Shea, of the Civil Air Patrol, encouraged students to make and toss paper airplanes as “we learn about the forces of flight.” Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Josh Conner, an electronics technician with the U.S. Navy, works with seventh-grader David Farell while experimenting with simple circuits Friday during “Space Day” at Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Sharon Eggleston of Brunswick smiles Friday while talking with Ulla Meir, right, during “Space Day” at Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland. Eggleston, a retired engineer with Lockheed Martin, has been organizing “Space Day” events across Maine for 24 years. Meir is the mother of Jessica Meir, an astronaut born in Caribou. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Mataeya Washington, left, and Juno Levy show how they used the provided supplies to create two different Mars landers during a Space Day activity at Whittier Elementary School on Friday. Vanessa Paolella/Sun Journal

Sharon Eggleston said that each patch on display during “Space Day” was designed by the astronauts on that particular mission. “Each patch has a story to tell,” said the organizer of “Space Day.” Daryn Slover/Sun Journal