FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michelle Lucas
Higher Orbits
707-893-STAR
michelle@HigherOrbits.org
HIGHER ORBITS ORGANIZES 12 GO FOR LAUNCH! EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Nonprofit Organization Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Uses Space Exploration to Launch Student Engagement
April 11, 2016 – Leesburg, Va. – Higher Orbits today announced it has 12 Go For Launch! events planned for 2016 that will be taking place across the country. Go For Launch! is a three-day program developed to reach high school or middle school aged students.
Go For Launch! is a Higher Orbits program that uses space exploration as a platform to launch student engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), STEAM (Art); teamwork; communication; and leadership. During the three-day program, students learn about human spaceflight and get insight and feedback through a variety of talks delivered by experienced space and STEM professionals. Speakers have included astronauts, former International Space Station (ISS) and Space Shuttle Flight Controllers, astronaut instructors, scientists, and engineers. The goal is to illustrate the numerous opportunities that exist in STEM related careers. Students will work with an astronaut for at least two of the three days, a unique feature of Go For Launch!
The students will participate in collaborative activities and develop a space experiment, which they will present to a panel of judges in the space and STEM fields. The judges will choose a winner from each Go For Launch! event. Winners from each event in the division will compete for the division title and those winners will have their experiments launched into space.
“I’m really excited to participate in Go For Launch!,” said retired Astronaut Wendy Lawrence. “Personally, I can’t think of a better way to show students the power of a STEM-based education than to expose them to the amazing accomplishments in the realm of space exploration and let them work with people who have been a part of our nation’s space program.”
The Go For Launch! events currently scheduled for 2016 will be held at:
- Wright State University – Dayton, Ohio
- Deerfield High School – Deerfield, Illinois
- St. Edwards University – Austin, Texas
- San Diego Air and Space Museum – San Diego, California
- LTV Studios – Hamptons, New York
- Kentucky Science Center – Louisville, Kentucky
- Bluegrass Community and Technical College – Lexington, Kentucky
- Boys and Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster – Leominster, Massachusetts
- Challenger Space Center Arizona – Peoria, Arizona
- Hobart High School – Hobart, IN
For more information about Go For Launch!, or to explore how to arrange an event, visit https://www.GoForLaunch.space
Higher Orbits thanks its Intergalactic Sponsors: Space Tango, Kentucky Space, and eddi for their support of all of the scheduled Go For Launch! events. Sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels for individual events, divisions, or the overall program. For more details please contact Michelle Lucas at GoForLaunch@higherorbits.org or call 707-893-STAR.
About Higher Orbits
Higher Orbits is a 501(c)3 non-profit with the mission of promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); along with leadership, teamwork, and communication through the use of spaceflight. Mankind’s journey into space serves as an ideal launchpad to excite students of all ages about STEM and working to fulfill their dreams and ambitions. Higher Orbits uses a variety of programs and partnerships with other organizations to achieve these goals. To learn more visit https://higherorbits.org
About Capt. Wendy Lawrence, USN (ret.)
Wendy Lawrence is a retired Navy Captain and veteran of four space shuttle flights. To learn more about Captain Lawrence, visit https://www.AstronautWendyLawrence.com
Additional Collaterals Including Logos and Photos available at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6v3we0vqjaafxow/AAAqWjLhyvldKYnSFpqINlJoa?dl=0
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