HCPS FL Logo Curriculum and Instruction
Information Item
DATE: Tuesday, May 17, 2016
TO: School Board Members
FROM: Jeff Eakins, Superintendent
SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS
Recognition of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP):  Explorers for Mission 7 (Curriculum and Instruction Division)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Three students from Hillsborough County Public Schools launched a project to the International Space Station on April 8, 2016. The project which was selected December 2014, will measure the frequency rate of the germination of cottonseeds in space. The students were fifth graders at FishHawk Creek Elementary School when their cottonseeds project initially launched in June 2015, but the project was on the rocket that had a catastrophic failure. The students met continuously to refine their project prior to the April 2016 launch even though they attended different middle schools.  We would like to recognize the Operation Germination of Cottonseeds Team:

  • Mary Vaughn, Academic Science Coach and SSEP Contact
  • Karinna Crespo, 6th Grader, Mulrennan Middle School
  • Chandrika Ganduri, 6th Grader, Williams Magnet Middle School
  • Casey Utsler, 6th Grader, Randall Middle School

The students are launching their experiment through the SSEP, a program that allows students to compete to place science experiments into low earth orbit. This past July, the team had the opportunity to present their data to other scientists and the public at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The SSEP is undertaken by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education. The on-orbit educational research opportunity is enabled through NanoRacks, LLC, which is working in partnership with National Aeronautics and Space Administration under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
• Motivate students to become responsible learners • Challenge and support all students with an appropriate curriculum
FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted:  No)
This item for recognition and has no financial impact to the district.
EVALUATION
N/A
SUBMITTED BY: 
Larry R. Plank, Ed.S.   Denny B. Oest
Director, K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics
(813) 272-4622
  Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction
(813) 272-4221
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Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20160517_772 (Board Recognition Meeting) Item# 06