A Smile as Big as the Moon (Hallmark Hall of Fame) 2012

The Hallmark Hall of Fame shown tonight is titled A Smile as Big as the Moon. The movie is based on a book about the experiences of a Michigan high school class of students with special needs who attend Space Camp in Huntsville in the late 1980s. Mike Kersjes realizes that his Forest Hills students are much more capable then people realize. When given opportunities and high expectations, the students will rise to the occasion. The teachers work with the class practicing all the skills they will need for the camp experience for seven months. The most important skill is teamwork which will be quite a challenge for this diverse group of students. With a generous donation and school board support, the class reaches their US Space Camp destination. The group competes against other teams. Given the strengths of the students, the team remains competitive. The last task the team must perform is a simulation of a space shuttle flight. The closing scene is the award ceremony. I won't give away ending but I cried. And that's what special education teachers do when they are witness to the triumph of the human spirit.