US envoy hails Qatari pupils proposed Nasa visit Wednesday, 23 June 2010 06:26

Doha: US Ambassador to Qatar Joseph LeBaron welcomed the announcement by Qatar Foundation International (QFI) that it will sponsor a trip by Qatari students to the Kennedy Space Center
in Florida.

The ambassador said yesterday that in an effort to encourage a passion for the sciences, four Qatari schools will send approximately 40 students and 14 teachers to the Space Center this July. The trip is part of a “Summer of Science and Service” programme, organised by Qatar Foundation International in collaboration with the Meridian International Center and the US Embassy.

The ambassador added that the students’ visit comes after a visit to Doha by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Major General Charles Bolden.

The young men and women will take part in a customised three-day science education programme, designed by NASA education specialists.

Afterwards, the students will visit Walt Disney World to get a behind-the-scenes science-and-technology tour and learn about physics through hands-on activities that are part of Disney s Youth Education Series.

While the purpose of this trip is primarily educational, participants will also work together to “give back” to the community. Both the American and Qatari students will visit Florida s Gulf Coast and contribute to the clean-up efforts following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of April 2010.

Earlier this year, the Qatari and American students from the six schools formed a “Sister School Network” to learn more about each others’ culture and language.

As part of QFIs Arabic Language and Culture Exchange Program, the American students visited their Qatari counterparts in March and April of this year.

The participating schools are: the Doha Independent Secondary School for Boys, Yarmouk Independent Preparatory School for Boys, Raba a Adawiya Independent Secondary School for Girls, Bayan Educational Complex for Girls in Doha; and the Washington Latin Public Charter School and Boston Arts Academy in the United States.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an Executive Branch agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation’s civilian space program and aeronautics and aerospace research. Since February 2006 NASA’s self-described mission statement is to “pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.”

NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The agency became operational on October 1, 1958.

NASA has led US efforts for space exploration ever since, resulting in the Apollo missions to the Moon, the Skylab space station, and later the Space Shuttle. Currently NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is developing a new manned spacecraft called Orion.

QNA

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