WITH only a week to go until ‘liftoff’, students from six Hawkesbury schools are gearing-up for the trip of a lifetime.
On Wednesday, October 3, the lucky locals will head-off on a two-week trip to America for a unique STEM education experience hosted by One Giant Leap Australia in partnership with CAE, Northrop Grumman, Windsor RSL, and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.
“As we reach launch velocity, the excitement in the Hawkesbury is building,” said said Estelle McNaught, a local science teacher enrolled in the program.
“Richmond North Public, Bede Polding College, Hawkesbury High, Colo High, Windsor High and Richmond High school students, parents and teachers are counting down the days until we blast off to Space Camp USA.”
“Teachers from Australia and the USA are teaming up for 54 hours of professional development. We cannot wait to collaborate on the exciting new programs that we will bring back to the Hawkesbury from this amazing trip.”
Over the past year, local community organisations, donations and fundraising have brought the community together, providing much-needed funds to allow the program to go ahead.
Richmond High School student Lachlan Kalie will be attending the trip, thanks to a scholarship grant from Windsor RSL.
He thanked Windsor RSL, One Giant Leap Foundation, and this newspaper for voting him in as the scholarship winner.
“By gaining this scholarship, it has allowed me to move closer to my dream of becoming an astronaut,” he said.
“I hope that this is the beginning of other students in the Hawkesbury being offered their own Space Camp scholarship!
“Thanks again to Windsor RSL for being so generous and supportive of space education in the Hawkesbury! I am honoured to have been selected.”
Bob Carpenter OAM, a director of One Giant Leap Australia, said the One Giant Leap Australia Foundation program builds the capacity of our youth and creates leaders of tomorrow, ‘investing in tomorrow today’ by developing life changing programs around creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving.
“Our participants develop skills that are transferable into all aspect of the workforce of the future,” said Mr Carpenter.
First stop on the excursion will be Northrop Grumman Space Park in Redondo Beach, California, where they will be touring the facility, visiting the FabLab and meeting with the engineers that designed and built the James Webb telescope, followed by a meet and greet with SpaceX Rocket scientists and mission control experts.
Follow the students’ journey on the One Giant Leap Australia and Windsor RSL pages on Facebook.
