Nearly 100 East Bay kids and their families got to experience the thrill of “launching a rocket” and “making clouds” at a fun-filled STEM event hosted in honor of Women’s History Month at the East Oakland Youth Development Center in Oakland, California on March 3, 2023.
Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff along with NASA Ames Research Center Director Dr. Eugene Tu and NASA astronaut Dr. Yvonne Cagle joined kids for the hands-on activities and helped distribute STEM Artemis Learning Lunchboxes aimed to inspire the Artemis generation to learn about NASA’s Artemis Program, which will land the first woman and person of color on the Moon. They were joined by representatives from the National Space Council and other Bay Area STEM organizations.
“A key part of our mission is to advance space exploration and to inspire the next generation of explorers in aviation, science, and space,” said Tu when addressing the event attendees. “And that is why we’re here today – we understand that it will take diverse talents and people of all backgrounds for NASA to discover new possibilities and travel farther into space.”
In total, approximately 500 Learning Lunchboxes were handed out to kids at the Manzanita Community School and the East Oakland Youth Development Center in Oakland. The lunchboxes feature five space-focused learning activities that showcase the diversity of STEM at NASA in support of the Administration’s priorities to inspire future scientists, innovators, engineers, mathematicians, and explorers.
The NASA Artemis Learning Lunchbox is made possible through NASA’s Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) program. As part of a larger nationwide STEM initiative with NASA, the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) will distribute 30,000 Artemis Learning Lunchboxes in communities across the country to highlight the importance of STEM.
For more information about NASA’s STEM Engagement, visit: