El Camino College Space Day on April 30 -- join us for egg drop and airplane competitions

Every year since our children were in early elementary years, we have attended this annual amazing day of hands-on science.   If your children have always needed extra brainfood and are hands-on curious little scientists, age is not an issue as six-year-old kids can easily beat middle-schoolers in the egg-drop competition.  The prize is a T-shirt and a medal :)  The airplane competition is new, but there is plenty to engage your child if you do not get into the first session of the egg-drop sessions where these protected eggs will be dropped from a tall building to see if their egg survives the fall. 

You will need to arrive as early as 7am to be sure you can get in line for these sought-after first egg-drop session tickets.  Every year, I register for 50 kids in my group ... so if you would like me to hold your space in our group, do leave me a comment with your email address and your children's first name and last initial as well as the ages. You will still need to be there by 8am to get your tickets for two selected sessions.  You can always register in advance for your own family, but you need to be there in person to get session tickets.

There is a healthy free lunch for the first 800 participants, including adults, but the session tickets are for students only.  No tickets are needed for the auditorium presentation by the featured astronaut --- this time a high school teacher astronaut, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger.  There is an excellent planetarium presentation, very fun insect lab where you can make a Madagascar cockroach hiss, physics fun demonstration, Q and A with the astronaut, chemistry tables in the open areas for hands-on exploration, geology, and many others .. something for everyone.

Here are more details from the organizers, including an essay competition open to 5th to 12th graders and the prize is dinner with the astronaut:):

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On behalf of the Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Committee, El Camino College, and American Honda Motor Co., Inc., you are cordially invited to participate in Space Science Day 2011 at El Camino College on Saturday, April 30. This year marks the 25^th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger accident that took the lives of the seven crew members including Ellison Onizuka.

We are expecting another great turnout as well as an enjoyable and informative day. Once again, the whole event is FREE -- including lunch for the first 800 students. 

This year's featured speaker is Astronaut Dorothy M. Metcalf-Lindenburger. Astronaut Metcalf-Lindenburger’s NASA Bio can be found at www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/metcalf-lindenburger-dm.html. We are anticipating another inspiring presentation for 2011. 

Because of limited space, and to ensure a seat and early check-in, students should sign up now. You may register by replying to this email, or to spaceday@elcamino.edu or by calling 310-660-3487. 

More information will be sent to all who sign up as the date nears.   Check in will begin shortly after 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 30. The day will end just after lunch with the awards for the Egg Drop and Paper Airplane Competitions.  Once again, parents, teachers and administrators are welcome and encouraged to attend.  Important Note: Because of the demand to attend Space Day, we want to ensure as many students as possible participate in the classroom breakout sessions. Therefore, parents and/or adults will be asked not to select tickets to the breakout sessions as you are checking in that morning. Adults will be able to stand in or outside of the classrooms or you may enjoy our outside demonstrations. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.    

Please feel free to forward this email to friends and family.

Finally, for El Camino College’s Space Science Day 2011, an essay contest is being conducted with the winner receiving an invitation to meet and attend dinner with Astronaut Metcalf-Lindenburger on Friday, April 29, 2011 at a local restaurant to be identified shortly.  The winner will be able to bring 3 guests to the dinner as well – usually the parents and one sibling or friend.  Only students in grades 5 through 12 are eligible.

Essay Subject

Describe the first time you remember being impressed and awed by Space  

Please submit the essay of 150 words or less in the body of an email (no attachments please) to Robin Dreizler c/o spaceday@elcamino.edu or fax them to 310-660-6786 or mail to 16007 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance, CA 90506. The deadline to receive the essays will be Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 10 p.m.

Include with the essay, the student’s name, age, home address, phone number or parent email, grade in school and school they are currently attending.

All essays become the property of El Camino College and may be reproduced in print form, along with the identity of the author, in our Space Day Event or Dinner Program. 

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at Space Day 2011!

Robin Dreizler

Director, Outreach and School Relations

El Camino College

16007 Crenshaw Blvd.

Torrance, CA 90506

Office 310-660-3487

Fax 310-660-6786

rdreizle@elcamino.edu

spaceday@elcamino.edu