BRANSON, Mo. -- The clock on the wall ticks off the seconds the same way every day. In Mrs. Kelly Neil's classroom at Branson Intermediate School, however, those seconds meant something extra special this week. The students were waiting for the launch of space shuttle Discovery on Tuesday.

"The shuttle is taking off with all our signatures,” said sixth grader Kassadee Pingleton.

Last year, Neil was looking for fresh lesson ideas when she stumbled across the Student Signatures in Space program. She entered Branson Intermediate, the school was selected, and the more than 600 students in the fifth and sixth grades signed a poster. The kids can only imagine where that poster is now.

"Probably the poster is up where they're driving the spaceship,” said sixth grader Nathan Huff.

As their imaginations roamed, the lights dimmed and the kids gained an added interest in those seconds ticking off the clock. They celebrated when the shuttle blasted off.

"It's kind of like the kids were actually on the mission,” said Neil.

The poster is scheduled to return with Discovery in 15 days. Administrators will then display it in their new building.