Harris Grant Brings Astronaut STEM Program to Colorado Springs Schools

Written by: Space Foundation Editorial Team

Thanks to a grant from Harris Corporation, students at six Colorado Springs schools will get to hear first-hand about a former NASA astronaut’s experiences in space. Lt. Col. Duane “Digger” Carey, USAF (Ret.), will speak to students at Academy Endeavor Elementary, Coronado High, Discovery Canyon Campus Elementary, Evans International Elementary, McAuliffe Elementary and Wildflower Elementary, part of the Space Foundation’s Audience with an Astronaut outreach.

Harris is collaborating with the Space Foundation to further science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies through the Space Foundation’s Space in the Community program. A series of activities Feb. 28 through March 3 will involve students, parents, teachers and community members, to inform and inspire them about space and the importance of STEM. Harris Corporation is inviting the parents of students from the six schools to come to the Discovery Center to see the same astronaut presentation that their children are seeing in school. The goal is to get parents and their children talking about possible STEM-related careers. And to involve teachers, Harris is inviting local teachers to register for a one-day professional development program to be delivered by the Space Foundation at its Discovery Center on March 3.

The goal of Harris’ collaboration with the Space Foundation is to interest younger students in considering STEM careers and taking courses in high school that will position them to successfully pursue STEM studies in college. In the last 10 years, Harris has dedicated more than $22 million to support STEM education projects and initiatives on the elementary, middle, high school and university levels. Harris employees across the U.S. have volunteered thousands of hours supporting STEM education in local classrooms and hosted hundreds of students at Harris facilities.

The Space Foundation’s Space in the Community program can be delivered in any community in the country. Learn more here.

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