NASA and Pinellas County Provide Unique Experience for Students

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA is partnering with the Pinellas Science Center, St. Petersburg, Fla., and the Pinellas County School System to inspire and encourage underrepresented students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The event, in honor of African-American History month, will take place Feb. 8-11, 2011, at the science center and area elementary and middle schools. More than 1,000 fifth- and eighth-grade students will have the opportunity to interact with minority role-model speakers, participate in hands-on educational activities and view astronomy presentations in Kennedy Space Center’s portable planetarium.

Educational outreach activities will take place at the Pinellas Science Center on Feb. 10. Activities on the remaining dates will take place on-site at the following schools:

-Academy Preparatory Middle School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
-Azalea Elementary School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
-Azalea Middle School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
-Bay Point Middle School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
-DePaul School, Clearwater, Fla.
-Fairmont Park Elementary School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
-Gulfport Elementary School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
-John Hopkins Middle School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
-Lakewood Elementary School, St. Petersburg, Fla.
-Tyrone Middle School, St. Petersburg, Fla.

For more information on NASA’s education programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/education

For more information about NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy