Space center nets STEM grant

PEORIA — Challenger Space Center Arizona, 21170 N. 83rd Ave., has been selected to receive a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) grant of $94,013 from the APS Foundation.

The grant will support the center’s new statewide STEM Mobile Outreach Program, which will bring hands-on learning activities to schools in rural areas beginning in 2013.

The space center will use the curriculum of NASA’s BEST, which stands for beginning engineering, science and technology, developed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s Office of Education. It teaches the Engineering Design Process steps of ask, imagine, plan, create, experiment and improve.

“Space is an exciting and mysterious platform that inspires children to think about what is possible and introduces them to the STEM fields. If we can capture their imagination with this program, it will open a pathway to engineering, science and beyond,” said Kari Sliva, executive director of Challenger Space Center Arizona.

“It takes the vision of companies like APS to see how these programs can enrich the lives of students and also help solve the gap of 166,000 STEM jobs that will need to be filled in Arizona by 2018.”

Challenger is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week.

More details: 623-322-2001 www.azchallenger.org.

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