Where S.T.E.M Works

New York City Center for Space Science Education (“NYCCSSE”), is a facility where S.T.E.M works.

SGHY Students get a chance to see how S.T.E.M really worksSGHY is incredibly fortunate to have partnered with the Airline Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in cooperation with the Fund for Public Schools to offer a program where  S.T.E.M works.

Last February, 32 middle school students from  very low income communities experienced, over the course of their school’s winter  break, the challenges and joys of air flight as they learned and applied principles of aerospace science. This was made possible by  the Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth (“SGHY”) foundation and a $10,000 grant it received  from the Airline Owners & Pilots Association (“AOPA”).

NYCCSSE uniquely combines a NASA Aerospace Laboratory, and Challenger Center for Space Science Education, and a Robotics Laboratory. The Aerospace Lab includes airplane flight simulators, a wind tunnel, and components for model airplanes the students construct in realistic proportions. Students learn how planes remain airborne, how they navigate and fly, and the tasks and challenges faced by pilots, air traffic comptrollers, and plane maintenance crews and engineers.

At the end of the week, students, boys and girls, leave aerospace camp not only with a greater knowledge and understanding of how air flight works. They leave with dreams that, even though they live in the humblest of circumstances, they might grow up to become airplane pilots, aerospace engineers, astronauts, or space scientists. They wind up the week not only with a deeper understanding of math and science principles  through their application in the exercises they undertake, but also with the all important self-confidence and self-determination that they can master the math and science skills need to pursue those dreams. The students  also  leave camp with a greater respect for the universe of which they are a part, for  the majesty of the sky and the awesomeness of space and the limitless of human potential to conquer and explore both.

SGHY, Middle Schools 126 and 302, as well as their teachers are extremely enthusiastic about their inclusion in a program and facility where S.T.E.M works.  Literally !!

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