WASHINGTON — NASA and Sally Ride Science are inviting journalists to tonight’s “Sally Ride: A Lifetime of Accomplishment, A Champion of Science Literacy,” a national tribute to America’s first woman in space. The special event will be held at the Concert Hall of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., at 7 p.m. EDT.
The celebration will highlight Ride’s contributions and legacies. These include her long-time focus on education, and her passion for inspiring all students, especially girls and under-represented minority students, to learn more about science and consider pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Miles O’Brien of PBS serves as master of ceremonies for the tribute, which is sponsored by Sally Ride Science, the education company Ride co-founded after she left the space program. The tribute will include the talents of Patti Austin, Damian Kulash of the band OK Go, Maria Shriver, Emil de Cou and Billie Jean King, with music by Tena Clark and choreography by Twyla Tharp. Speakers include NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, former astronaut and space shuttle commander Pam Melroy and NASA’s Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut Leland Melvin. Veteran journalist Tom Brokaw of NBC News, who covered the Space Shuttle Program and met Ride and her family for a story he did about her, introduces and narrates a special video that makes its debut at the tribute.
For a complete list of participants and details about tonight’s event, please see the tribute’s official playbill at: http://go.nasa.gov/15sRyyM
Reporters who would like to cover the event must contact Cynthia Myers at Sally Ride Science at cindy.myers360@gmail.com or at 415-378-0294 or Allard Beutel at NASA by 3 p.m. today.
For more information about Sally Ride Science, visit: http://www.sallyridescience.com
