Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761
sonja.r.alexander@nasa.gov

Amy Johnson
Langley Research Center
757-864-7022/757-272-9859
amy.johnson@nasa.gov



RELEASE: 11-028

NASA ADMINISTRATOR SPEAKS TO RICHMOND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BOLDEN VISIT FOLLOWS PRESIDENT'S CALL TO MAKE EDUCATION A NATIONAL PRIORITY

WASHINGTON -- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden today visited the
MathScience Innovation Center in Richmond, Va., to meet seventh and
eighth-grade students from the city's Albert Hill Middle School.
Bolden discussed his military and space career and the importance of
science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, education for
tomorrow's careers. In his State of the Union speech on Tuesday,
President Obama emphasized the importance of STEM education for the
U.S. to compete globally and create jobs.

U.S. Senator Mark Warner and U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott joined Bolden and
science center executives for the event.
"President Obama's call for us to win the future means we need to
develop the skills and capabilities to stay competitive in the global
economy," Administrator Bolden said. "Today's students have the
opportunity to build and take part in tomorrow's big adventures and
keep our country strong and competitive through science, technology,
engineering and mathematics."

STEM education is the foundation of NASA's learning initiatives, such
as the Summer of Innovation (SoI) project. Begun in 2010, the project
engages middle school students in STEM studies and hands-on, or
participatory, exploration during the summer hiatus, when many lose
academic skills acquired during the school year. SoI also supports a
continuum of coordinated services to engage students in meaningful
ways through summer and extended learning during the school year.
NASA will announce this year's Summer of Innovation plans in the
spring.

"Americans have never been afraid of the future, and we shouldn't
start now. We know what the challenges are, and we know that these
new times demand new thinking and new skills, including advanced math
and science," Sen. Warner said. "We need to face up to these
challenges by working together to make sure that our young people get
a fair chance to compete, and to win, in the race for the future."

The MathScience Innovation Center's goal is to be the innovator,
incubator and advocate of 21st Century math and science programs for
the Virginia capital region's kindergarten through 12th grade
educators and students. It also houses the Challenger Learning Center
for Space Science Education. Today marks the 25th anniversary of the
loss of space shuttle Challenger and her crew of seven.

Before Bolden, Warner and Scott took the stage, students had an
opportunity to engage in hands-on activities related to science and
exploration, including a rocket-building exercise. Education staff
from NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., led the
activities. Studies have shown that hands-on, experiential learning
is a key factor in capturing students' interest in technical fields
and inspiring the next generation to reach new heights.

For information about NASA's education programs, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/education


For more information about the Summer of Innovation, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/soi


For information about the MathScience Innovation Center, visit:



http://www.msinnovation.info/index.html