Gifted Institute partners with NASA for space education event

Peoria, Illinois ... June 3, 2003 ... Bradley University Institute for Gifted and Talented Youth, in partnership with NASA Education Services, will present unique space education and communication events on campus on June 10, 11, and 12. Students, parents, teachers, and student teachers will participate in workshops, and a live up-link to the International Space Center.

On June 10 and 11, two workshops are planned for area students in grades 1-8. Each student will be accompanied by his or her science teacher, as they participate in rocketry, space exploration, microgravity, light spectrum, and human biology experiments taught by NASA educator, Patrick Huth. The workshops begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue until 5:30 p.m. Children in grades 1 through 4 will be registered for the June 10 workshop and the June 11 workshop will be for students in grades 5 through 8 . All activities will be held in Olin Hall of Science room 148. Reservations are required for the workshops and limited seating is available. The workshop fee is $25 and includes lunch, all NASA materials and an Institute t-shirt. For reservations call (309) 677-2820.

The second event of the program will be real-time communication with American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station on June 12. Students will have a 20-minute time period to ask the astronauts questions and view the interior of the International Space Station. Admission is free for up-link participants but tickets must be reserved by calling Institute Director Dr. Mary Ann Manos at 677-2993. The program will be held in Olin Hall room 168. Seating will begin at 12:30 with the uplink transmission to the Space Station beginning at 12:55.

All youth and educators interested in the NASA space program are encouraged to attend the events.

The Bradley Institute for Gifted and Talented Youth is sponsored by the College of Education and Health Sciences. The 2003 World of Wonder program for youth in Central Illinois is being held this month on the Bradley campus and includes four one-week sessions featuring a variety of courses that enable first through eighth grade students to explore and expand their interests and abilities in a university environment.