Every spring, Capitol College brings over 400 of the top high-school juniors from the Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Virginia areas to the annual Jump Start Junior Expo, an active showcase of academic and career pathways in the fields of computer science, technology, engineering, math, and business. This year’s expo, which coincides with National Space Day, will be held Friday, May 7, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the McGowan Center Atrium and various campus locations. Sponsoring this exciting learning opportunity are Verizon and Capitol One.
As one of the largest high school STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) events in the region, the JSJ Expo will feature many of Capitol’s government and corporate partners showcasing their programs, careers and the latest advancements in computer science, technology, engineering and more. High-school students will be exposed to career options in their chosen industry and to a college that can provide them with the education and experience needed to succeed in those industries.
“This event is a great opportunity for our regional partners to show off what they are working on, and to turn young minds on to the opportunities and successes they may achieve in the STEM fields,” said Dianne Veenstra, vice president for planning and assessment. “We look forward to celebrating National Space Day with these juniors who are the future business and technology leaders of our country’s emerging workforce.”
Since its launch in 1997, the Space Day educational initiative, which takes place on the first Friday of each May, has evolved into a massive grassroots effort dedicated to the extraordinary achievements, benefits and opportunities in the exploration and use of space. The ultimate goal is to promote math, science, technology and engineering education by nurturing young peoples' enthusiasm for the wonders of the universe and inspiring them to continue the stellar work of today's space explorers.
International in scope, the award-winning program involves hundreds of thousands of teachers and millions of students throughout the United States, Canada and beyond. Space Day events have taken place in 21 countries around the globe on six continents. Thanks to widespread media, millions of people have learned about the Space Day programs since its inception. So effective is this global initiative that it has been honored with the Space Foundation's prestigious Education Achievement Award.