NASA Collaborates To Engage Hispanic Students
WASHINGTON -- NASA and Univision Communications Inc. are teaming up to
launch an on-air and online initiative to help engage Hispanic
students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
education.
NASA is committed to preparing the next generation of scientists,
engineers and technologists. Univision, a leading Spanish-language
media company with television, radio, online and interactive assets
focused on improving graduation rates and preparing Hispanic students
for college.
Beginning Saturday, Oct. 2, Univision will air a series of
Spanish-language educational video segments produced by NASA and
titled "NASA and You" (NASA y Tu). Featuring Hispanic employees from
NASA as role models, the 30-second videos will present new
perspectives on education and STEM careers. Among many featured NASA
staff members are astronaut Jose Hernandez, who talks about his life
and how he became an astronaut, and Margaret Dominguez, an optics
engineer, who talks about the engineering challenges of putting a
mirror as large as a tennis court in small spacecraft.
"NASA's challenging missions offer a unique opportunity to inspire
excellence in students of every age," said NASA Deputy Administrator
Lori Garver. "This collaboration will combine NASA's unique STEM
educational content with Univision's communications platforms to
reach Hispanic youth and encourage them to pursue STEM-related
careers."
The segments will air on Saturday mornings on the Univision children's
block "Planeta U." They are part of the company's comprehensive,
multi-platform, three-year national education initiative called Es El
Momento (The Moment is Now).
Through Es El Momento, Univision is working to improve academic
achievement among kindergarten through 12th grade Hispanic students.
It is focused specifically on increasing high school graduation
rates, college readiness and completion while engaging Hispanic
parents and the broader Hispanic community in these efforts.
