A group of Santa Ana Unified students is learning how to utilize the newest space technologies this summer through an internship with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The Summer High School Internship Program, or Space SHIP, pairs up high school students interested in learning more about STEM with professional engineers through an eight-week paid internship at the JPL facilities in Pasadena while offering a hands-on, collaborative learning environment.
With guidance from Segerstrom High School engineering teacher Adam Woods, three high schoolers have had the opportunity to assist laboratory staff with a variety of projects like transferring support equipment that helps build and test spacecrafts and developing the Open Source Rover to increase educational outreach.
“I feel more confident about picking a STEM field, working towards it and continuing on that path throughout college and into my adult life,” said Jordan, a Segerstrom student. “I can safely say that I want to be an engineer when I grow up.”
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- With the start of the 2023-24 academic year fast approaching, the OCDE Newsroom has compiled a rundown of all school start dates in Orange County, including charter schools.
- Nearly 300 art pieces created by students from transitional kindergarten to 12th grade are on display at the 2023 Festival of Arts of Long Beach through September 1.
- In order to best serve incoming transitional kindergarten classes, the Early Learning Services team at OCDE welcomed more than 175 educators and community partners to share strategies for developing early education and care programs at its Early Learning Summer Institute.
- Garden Grove’s Rancho Alamitos High School unveiled its new state-of-the-art athletic facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday. The space will include a nine-lane synthetic turf track and field.
- Fountain Valley High School in the Huntington Beach Union High School District has announced Jackson Lai as its new instrumental music director. Lai served as the music department’s assistant director for the past two years.
- While attending school and working her part-time job, incoming Laguna Beach High School senior Annabella Miller has helped successfully re-home six foster dogs after developing a passion for animal care.
- Regularly engaging in physical activity can lessen a student’s risk of experiencing academic burnout, according to recent studies from the University of Eastern Finland.
- Los Alamitos High School alum and Broadway talent Susan Egan is set to star in a two-night concert that celebrates 100 years of Walt Disney Animation Studios at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend.
- Cybersecurity efforts in school districts and libraries could benefit from a $200 million investment from the Federal Communications Commission after Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed a three-year pilot program to strengthen resources against cyberattacks.
This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.