Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

U.S. Department of Education Partners with Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum to Launch "She Can" STEM Summer Camp

  • 05/22/18

Washington, D.C. – Continuing its efforts to emphasize the value and importance of education in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), the U.S. Department of Education has partnered with the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum to launch the "She Can" Summer Camp.

"I'd like to thank the President for donating his salary to the Department, which enabled us to partner with the Smithsonian and double the amount of girls that could be a part of this life-changing experience," said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. "We know early exposure to the STEM fields helps set students on a strong trajectory. This Camp will encourage girls to seek out future professions in STEM and aviation, and empower them to never stop reaching for the stars."

The Camp is designed for students with an interest in aviation and seeks to empower young women to succeed in STEM disciplines. Throughout the two-week Camp, the students will participate in a number of aviation activities, including hands-on flight instruction on FAA certified simulators, a 30-minute discovery flight with a local flight school, a high-altitude weather balloon launch and indoor skydiving. They will also meet women working in a variety of aviation fields, such as air traffic control, cyber security and commercial aviation.

Open to sixth through eighth grade girls, the museum will offer the free aviation-focused experience to underserved students in D.C., Maryland and Virginia at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

Participants must be from Title 1-eligible schools or be eligible for free or reduced lunch. Interested students must submit an application. The application is available on the museum's website at airandspace.si.edu/shecan.

The Department will invest more than $200 million dollars this year in discretionary grants promoting STEM education with a particular focus on computer science.

Featured

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.