Kids Reach for the Stars

PRLog – May 10, 2010 – Corporations step up to provide unforgettable memories for three national winners in the fourth annual Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest. The winners will be receiving their trophies at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. The Celebration is to be held August 7 & 8. Deadline for entering the contest is June 15th.

Complimentary admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the Astronaut Hall of Fame will be provided by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, operators of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on behalf of NASA. Lodging is being provided by Rick "Hutch" Hutcherson, Director of Sales and Marketing; Best Western Ocean Beach Hotel & Suites and the Days Inn Cocoa Beach. The corporations are combining to provide unforgettable memories for the winners of the annual Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest. Contest co-director, Kathy Colpas states, “Without the generosity of these companies, this event would not be possible.”

Starting at 9:30 AM on Saturday, August 7th, three national Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest winners will receive trophies and launch their rockets in triumph at the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The winners and their families receive a personal tour of the Hall of Fame. They will continue their celebration at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visiting the Astronaut Memorial and receiving a framed Space Shuttle Challenger commemorative coin signed by Christa McAuliffe’s mother, Grace Corrigan. A walk through the historical Rocket Garden, a ride on Shuttle Launch Experience and many more activities will complete their two-day celebration.

Part of the winners’ package includes two nights at the Best Western Ocean Beach Hotel & Suites or the Days Inn Cocoa Beach. Excitement builds from the greeting at check-in to fussing over the kids at breakfast. Breakfast at the hotel - where the official greeting of the national winners takes place as they pack parachutes into their rockets for the upcoming launch - has become a part of the tradition. Winners and their families often join each other for meals or bond in the hotel’s swimming pool - making the celebration even more special.

During the competition, contestants were required to build and launch a solid-fuel powered rocket. To win the local event they had to have the closest parachute landing to a target after two launches. It is a challenging, spot-landing event. The local winner’s information is forwarded to contest headquarters to be compared to all other entries during the year long competition. The competition promotes the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars Program – an educational outreach of the Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Learning Center and fosters an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) studies.

The contest presents a fantastic opportunity to young rocketeers. Contest co-director Jack Colpas boasts that, “national winners receive memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.” For more details about Helping Kids Reach for the Stars and the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest go to www.TheRocketman.net.

In phase two of the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest, three more national winners will receive their trophies from famed author Homer Hickam (Rocket Boys, October Sky) at the October Sky Festival in Coalwood, West Virginia. Winners will be announced on June 18th.

Travel sponsors are needed for each of the six national winners to ensure their ability to attend the ceremony. Sponsors receive national attention and the satisfaction of Helping Kids Reach for the Stars.

Helping Kids Reach for the Stars is a Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Center - Educational Outreach Program and is recognized by: the Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC), Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Astronaut Hall of Fame, Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST), Kennedy Space Center - Educator Resource Center, National Space Society (NSS), South Eastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME), Florida League of Middle Schools (FLMS), Florida Engineering Education Conference (FEEC), Florida Space Research Institute (FSRI) , the Private School Consultancy (PSC) and many public school systems.

We are recommended by; *Astronaut Bill Readdy, Chairman of the Board Challenger Centers *Ray Griffin, Director Christa McAuliffe Center *Grace Corrigan - Christa McAuliffe's mother *Ann Grimm, Educational Services Coordinator, Estes Educator *Dr. Warren Layfield, Education Director & TARC Mentor, Colorado Springs Rocket Society (COSROCS) *Dr. Jaydeep Mukherjee & Dr. Penny Haskins, Directors, Florida Space Grant Consortium *Karen Malesky, past President, Florida Association of Science Teachers *author (Rocket Boys, October Sky) Homer Hickam and the Original Rocket Boys *Jay Wittner, President, National Space Society - Southwest Florida Chapter *Dr. Mike Novello, Director, The Private School Consultancy *Steve McGrath, designer of the X-Prize Eagle for Vanguard Industries and others.

# # #

The national Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest http:// TheRocketman.net is in its 4th year. It is designed to excite kids about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM subjects). Helping Kids Reach for the Stars is a Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Center - Educational Outreach Program and is recognized by: the Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC), Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Astronaut Hall of Fame, Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST), Kennedy Space Center - Educator Resource Center, National Space Society (NSS), South Eastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME), Florida League of Middle Schools (FLMS), Florida Engineering Education Conference (FEEC), Florida Space Research Institute (FSRI) , the Private School Consultancy (PSC) and many public school systems.

PRLog (Press Release) – May 10, 2010 – Corporations step up to provide unforgettable memories for three national winners in the fourth annual Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest. The winners will be receiving their trophies at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. The Celebration is to be held August 7 & 8. Deadline for entering the contest is June 15th.

Complimentary admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the Astronaut Hall of Fame will be provided by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, operators of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on behalf of NASA. Lodging is being provided by Rick "Hutch" Hutcherson, Director of Sales and Marketing; Best Western Ocean Beach Hotel & Suites and the Days Inn Cocoa Beach. The corporations are combining to provide unforgettable memories for the winners of the annual Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest. Contest co-director, Kathy Colpas states, “Without the generosity of these companies, this event would not be possible.”

Starting at 9:30 AM on Saturday, August 7th, three national Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest winners will receive trophies and launch their rockets in triumph at the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The winners and their families receive a personal tour of the Hall of Fame. They will continue their celebration at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visiting the Astronaut Memorial and receiving a framed Space Shuttle Challenger commemorative coin signed by Christa McAuliffe’s mother, Grace Corrigan. A walk through the historical Rocket Garden, a ride on Shuttle Launch Experience and many more activities will complete their two-day celebration.

Part of the winners’ package includes two nights at the Best Western Ocean Beach Hotel & Suites or the Days Inn Cocoa Beach. Excitement builds from the greeting at check-in to fussing over the kids at breakfast. Breakfast at the hotel - where the official greeting of the national winners takes place as they pack parachutes into their rockets for the upcoming launch - has become a part of the tradition. Winners and their families often join each other for meals or bond in the hotel’s swimming pool - making the celebration even more special.

During the competition, contestants were required to build and launch a solid-fuel powered rocket. To win the local event they had to have the closest parachute landing to a target after two launches. It is a challenging, spot-landing event. The local winner’s information is forwarded to contest headquarters to be compared to all other entries during the year long competition. The competition promotes the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars Program – an educational outreach of the Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Learning Center and fosters an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) studies.

The contest presents a fantastic opportunity to young rocketeers. Contest co-director Jack Colpas boasts that, “national winners receive memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.” For more details about Helping Kids Reach for the Stars and the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest go to www.TheRocketman.net.

In phase two of the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest, three more national winners will receive their trophies from famed author Homer Hickam (Rocket Boys, October Sky) at the October Sky Festival in Coalwood, West Virginia. Winners will be announced on June 18th.

Travel sponsors are needed for each of the six national winners to ensure their ability to attend the ceremony. Sponsors receive national attention and the satisfaction of Helping Kids Reach for the Stars.

Helping Kids Reach for the Stars is a Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Center - Educational Outreach Program and is recognized by: the Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC), Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Astronaut Hall of Fame, Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST), Kennedy Space Center - Educator Resource Center, National Space Society (NSS), South Eastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME), Florida League of Middle Schools (FLMS), Florida Engineering Education Conference (FEEC), Florida Space Research Institute (FSRI) , the Private School Consultancy (PSC) and many public school systems.

We are recommended by; *Astronaut Bill Readdy, Chairman of the Board Challenger Centers *Ray Griffin, Director Christa McAuliffe Center *Grace Corrigan - Christa McAuliffe's mother *Ann Grimm, Educational Services Coordinator, Estes Educator *Dr. Warren Layfield, Education Director & TARC Mentor, Colorado Springs Rocket Society (COSROCS) *Dr. Jaydeep Mukherjee & Dr. Penny Haskins, Directors, Florida Space Grant Consortium *Karen Malesky, past President, Florida Association of Science Teachers *author (Rocket Boys, October Sky) Homer Hickam and the Original Rocket Boys *Jay Wittner, President, National Space Society - Southwest Florida Chapter *Dr. Mike Novello, Director, The Private School Consultancy *Steve McGrath, designer of the X-Prize Eagle for Vanguard Industries and others.

# # #

The national Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest http:// TheRocketman.net is in its 4th year. It is designed to excite kids about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM subjects). Helping Kids Reach for the Stars is a Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Center - Educational Outreach Program and is recognized by: the Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC), Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Astronaut Hall of Fame, Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST), Kennedy Space Center - Educator Resource Center, National Space Society (NSS), South Eastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME), Florida League of Middle Schools (FLMS), Florida Engineering Education Conference (FEEC), Florida Space Research Institute (FSRI) , the Private School Consultancy (PSC) and many public school systems.