On August 20th, 2007, the Saskatchewan Research Network (SRnet), in conjunction with Saskatchewan Learning and the Canadian Space Agency, connected the Churchill Community High School in La Ronge to Canadian astronaut Dave Williams, at the International Space Station (on board the NASA shuttle Endeavour).
Students from CCHS were allowed to submit questions to the Canadian Space Agency ahead of time, and the CSA selected the eight best questions, allowing those students to ask Williams in real-time. Representatives were eagerly attending the event, including the minister of Northern Affairs, the Chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, a representative of Northlands College, the mayors of La Ronge and Air Ronge, and the regional director from Saskatchewan Learning.
The event had been in the planning for more than a year, and the concept was made possible when Cyril Scheske of SRnet undertook a large project to lay fibre into northern Saskatchewan and connect La Ronge, allowing endless possibilities for research and education for the northern city.
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