CINCINNATI, Aug. 1, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Northrop Grumman Foundation today announced the sponsorship of three students and one teacher from the Cincinnati area to attend Space Camp® July 31-Aug. 6 at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center (USSRC) in Huntsville, Ala. Nationally, the Northrop Grumman Foundation is sponsoring 48 students and 16 teachers at Space Camp® this year.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/mediagallery.html?pkgid=10077
This year's sponsored space campers are from Fairfield Middle School. Students Zachary Johnson, Abby Scalf and Nick Tanaka will experience the ultimate space adventure this summer, participating in activities such as rocket building and launching, experiencing weightlessness in an astronaut-training simulator and simulating shuttle mission preparation. Adam Crosby, their Fairfield Middle School science teacher, will accompany the students to Huntsville to attend the Space Academy for Educators, a program to provide teachers the tools to enhance how they present science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts in their classrooms.
"At Northrop Grumman, we continuously strive to develop student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines," said Martin Simoni, site director for Northrop Grumman's Xetron business unit. "We are thrilled to be able to provide these students and teacher the opportunity to attend the Space Camp program to experience firsthand the importance of science and math principles when it comes to space exploration."
The sponsorship is part of the Northrop Grumman Foundation's K-12 Initiative, which aims to advance the United States' excellence in STEM by encouraging instruction from elementary school through high school.
The sponsored students were chosen based on their potential to become high achievers in math and science. They must be in seventh or eighth grade at the time of Space Camp® attendance, fall within the ages of 12 and 14, and their families must be otherwise unable to send their child to Space Camp®. The sponsored educator must teach either seventh or eighth grade science, and be selected by their school principal or district.
The USSRC Space Camp® is the premier provider of authentic, inspiring and entertaining educational experiences in space science and aviation. The Space Academy for Educators amplifies that mission by using the excitement of the program to create an immersive learning environment where teachers learn new ways to present concepts in their classrooms effectively.
Additional information about this year's Space Camp® can be found at http://www.spacecamp.com/
The Northrop Grumman Foundation supports diverse and sustainable programs for students and teachers. These programs create innovative education experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. For more information, visit www.northropgrumman.com/foundation.
