The upcoming Space Camp® will be held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center® in Huntsville, Alabama. This big opportunity will be given to schools around the world to attend, and six students and three teachers from schools in the U.K. will be attending it. As such, the Northrop Grumman Foundation will be sponsoring their flight there, as a show of appreciation for the topics discussed.
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CAPTION: Students in the U.K. from Hawarden High School, Sealand; Priory Witham Academy, Lincoln; and Downham Market Academy, near RAF Marham set off for Space Camp, at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center® in Huntsville to start a week of amazing hands-on learning experience.
Space Camp® is an experience-based learning programme aimed at increasing youth interest in space science. Thousands of students and teachers from more than 60 countries have participated in the programme since it started in 1982. It encourages and supports students and teachers from primary through to secondary school to focus on education that advances excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses.
This marks the tenth year that the Northrop Grumman Foundation has funded Space Camp® sponsorships and the fourth year that U.K. students and teachers have been given the opportunity to participate in the programme.
This year two students and one teacher from each of three schools in the U.K. will attend the week-long programme joining more than 100 other participants sponsored by the Northrop Grumman Foundation from around the world. As a sponsor, the Foundation will cover all participation fees, travel and accommodation expenses. The participating schools are:
Hawarden High School, Sealand
Priory Witham Academy, Lincoln
Downham Market Academy, near RAF Marham
The schools in Lincoln and Downham Market were selected in collaboration with the Jon Egging Trust and its Blue Skies youth engagement programme. Hawarden High School, was selected in collaboration with the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA) at Sealand.
“We are committed to nurturing the next generation of engineers and scientists, and are delighted to support these students and their teachers as they embark on a unique experience to learn about the latest space technologies,” said Ben Palmer, acting chief executive, Northrop Grumman Europe. “This will be an amazing, hands-on learning opportunity and we look forward to hearing about their experiences when they return to the U.K.”
Students will participate in activities such as rocket building and launching, experiencing weightlessness in an astronaut-training simulator and simulating space travel preparation. The teachers will attend the Space Academy for Educators, a programme designed to provide them with the tools and resources to enhance how they demonstrate STEM concepts in their classrooms.
“Space Camp is a wonderful opportunity to further develop our links with Northrop Grumman and provide our students with inspiring experiences to help them overcome barriers in their lives and reach their full potential,” said Dr. Emma Egging, Jon Egging Trust CEO. “It’s a chance for our Blue Skies students to put the teamwork and leadership skills they gain on the programme to the test, underpinned by their growing confidence and sense of worth. We are grateful to Northrop Grumman for this special opportunity.”
