The U.S. Consulate General Johannesburg, in partnership with the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence (DJF) and the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, is pleased to announce the launch of The Earth We Share™ (TEWS)-Space Race program for learners. The program aims to expose Gauteng public schools learners to the many career opportunities in space exploration industries while building critical thinking and problem solving skills needed to succeed in all jobs, but particularly the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) fields. A selected number of the participants will have the opportunity to visit the U.S. in 2021.
Two hundred Grade 9 – 11 learners from Gauteng will participate in one of a series of day long workshops between February and March 2021. The learners will work in teams to develop innovative solutions to challenges relating to space exploration and life here on Earth. Once the workshops are completed 12 leaners will earn the opportunity to visit the U.S. Space Camp at Space Rocket Center in Huntsville Alabama and tour Washington, DC or tour space related locations across South Africa in 2021 depending upon international travel and COVID-19 pandemic status
The TEWS-Space Race program seeks to foster both learner and community-wide awareness and excitement around the importance of space technologies to daily life on Earth through ongoing engagement with the public. It will showcase the United States’ remarkable ongoing leadership in space capabilities and exploration, and South Africa’s significant contributions and bright future in space. Learner participants’ knowledge about the many facets of space capabilities and applications will grow through hands-on experiences, discussions and design ideation with professional and pioneers in aerospace, engineering, and space sciences.
For more information on the program, selection eligibility criteria for selection and for the application form, please visit www.tewssouthafrica.org. The program is now receiving applications from Grade 9-11 learners in public schools in the Gauteng Province until January 29th, 2021.