ATLANTA, July 31, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The iceberg is
melting. A young would-be scientist reaches out to the
International Space Station, asking for a photo when its orbit
passes overhead the next day. Later, she downloads the picture and
compares it to one from last year to figure out how quickly the
iceberg is shrinking.
Kids and teens are conducting experiments like the popular
"EarthKAM" across the country this summer. In honor of the 50th
anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon mission, Raytheon and the John F.
Kennedy Library Foundation launched JFK Space Labs in Boys &
Girls Clubs nationwide. But this isn't just youth STEM education —
it's real science.
Inspired by programs through the Space Station Explorers
network, which is the ISS U.S. National Laboratory education
portal, the JFK Space Labs carry on Kennedy's legacy and his
spirit of inspiration. The experiments available to young explorers
are varied. At the Boys & Girls Club, youth are growing seeds
that have been in space in "Tomatosphere," studying how
animals react in zero gravity in "Orion's Quest," and
requesting photos of our changing world in "EarthKAM." And
while they're also listening to astronauts on the ISS read aloud
STEM-based books in "Story Time From Space," the difference here is
these experiments aren't busywork.
The kids and teens are acting as citizen scientists, giving
their data to researchers, scientists and astronauts to help grow
mankind's collective knowledge. To the teens in particular, doing
something larger — like learning how to best grow food in space or
the effects of climate change — is an eye-opening lesson that no
career is off limits.
"As the youth are collecting data, they're wondering if the
seeds have been exposed to radiation, and if they grow faster or
slower. To them it's like, is this the Spider-Man of tomato
plants?" said Susan Ciavolino,
director of youth development program education and STEM, Boys
& Girls Clubs of America. "It feels different to be having fun
while doing a task, you're engaged. You're doing something
real."
The JFK Space Lab program is funded through a $1.5 million gift from Raytheon to the JFK
Library Foundation. That includes providing schools and
after-school programs nationwide with a curated set of free
experiments, and the choice of five schools to receive a JFK Space
Lab at the start of the 2019–2020 school year all with support from
the ISS National Lab. Students will grow plants with special
cameras and sensors, perform DNA analysis with professional
equipment, and even venture outdoors with antennas and other
software to attempt radio contact with the ISS and other
entities.
The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and ISS National Lab will
discuss the JFK Space Lab program efficacy at the ISSRDC in
Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, August 1. They joined Raytheon in
awarding ten participating Boys & Girls Clubs with astronaut
and augmented reality experiences to help expand their exploration
of space, including ham radio conversations with ISS
astronauts facilitated by ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station). To learn more about the program visit
https://www.jfklibrary.org/jfk-space-labs.
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27
billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation
leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity
solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon
provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration,
C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and
mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon
is headquartered in Waltham, Mass.
Follow us on Twitter.
About the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and John F.
Kennedy Presidential Library
The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3), non-profit
organization founded in 1984 to provide financial support,
staffing, and creative resources for the John F. Kennedy
Presidential Library and Museum, a presidential library
administered by the National Archives and Records Administration.
The Kennedy Presidential Library and the Kennedy Library Foundation
seek to promote, through educational and community programs, a
greater appreciation and understanding of American politics,
history, and culture, the process of governing and the importance
of public service. Visit www.jfklibrary.org for the latest
announcements and calendar of events.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
(BGCA.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great
futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more
than 4,600 Clubs serve over 4.7 million young people through Club
membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities,
towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country,
and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on
U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place,
caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth
development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school
hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and
citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni,
54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters
are located in Atlanta. Learn more
at Facebook and Twitter.
About the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National
Laboratory
In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of
the ISS as the nation's newest national laboratory to optimize its
use for improving quality of life on Earth, promoting collaboration
among diverse users, and advancing science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This unique
laboratory environment is available for use by non-NASA U.S.
government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector.
The ISS National Lab manages access to the permanent microgravity
research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit,
and the extreme and varied conditions of space.
Media Contacts
Mike Doble
Raytheon
703.284.4345
corporatepr@raytheon.com
Ashley Keyes
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
404.285.2326
akeyes@bgca.org
Terence Burke
JFK Library Foundation
617.901.1697
terence.burke@jfklfoundation.org
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