Bradenton Students See World from Whole New Perspective

On Tuesday, May 3, almost 400 students from Bradenton, Fla., had an opportunity to see the world in a whole new way.

From the Space Shuttle.

In a trip sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation, the students visited Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. — an exciting complex that brings space education to life.

Educators say the trip opened up a whole new world for the students, not only by increasing their understanding of space but also by exciting them about fulfilling careers in aeronautics and other technical fields.

“We are so grateful to Lockheed Martin for providing our students with real-world experiences like this one,” said Margi Nanney, public information officer for the School District of Manatee County, Fla.

“STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiatives are best brought to life when students can participate in hands-on projects and see things like rockets and equipment that have actually been used in space,” Nanney added. “Exciting trips like this one help ignite students’ love of technical subjects and help them make the link between the math and science they’re studying and the types of careers they can pursue.”

The students on the trip were fourth- and fifth-graders from Marjorie G. Kinnan Elementary School and Florine J. Abel Elementary School, each of which are located near Lockheed Martin’s facility in Tallevast, Fla.

The students as well as about 60 chaperones participated in a Space Shuttle simulation in which they experienced the sights, sounds and sensations of a Shuttle launch.

They also met aeronautics professionals, saw authentic space memorabilia and toured the Apollo/Saturn V Center, complete with a real Saturn V rocket.

During a special presentation, Lockheed Martin engineers Herb Yamada and Betsy DeLee entertained the students with stories about their work as Lockheed Martin engineers involved with NASA and military projects. Their presentation included a demonstration of a remote-control helicopter to explain the scientific principals of flight.

Lockheed Martin’s sponsorship included the engineers’ presentation; the group’s transportation and admission to the Kennedy Space Center; and lunch and dinner for all participants.

“We sponsor trips like this because we want to excite kids about space and inspire them to pursue careers in math, science and technology,” said Gary Cambre, Lockheed Martin communications manager for Environmental Remediation.

“The kids’ faces lit up and their eyes got really wide when they saw the rockets and touched the moon rock and realized they were seeing things from space,” Cambre said. “That’s what Space Day is all about — inspiring students so they can become the next generation of scientists, astronauts and innovators.”