Aerospace Sponsors Area Students To Attend the
L.A. Sally Ride Science Festival

PASADENA, Calif. (3/20/03) -- The Aerospace Corporation sponsored 45 girls grades five through eight to attend the second annual Los Angeles Sally Ride Science Festival, which took place March 29 at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California.

Students and teachers from three El Segundo, California, elementary and middle schools attended the event and enjoyed fried chicken lunches and keynote speeches by Dr. Sally Ride, the nation's first woman astronaut, and Los Angeles Times science writer K.C. Cole. The science festival also included a street fair with interactive science exhibits and Discovery Workshops such as "Solving Cool Engineering

Problems," "Exploring the Red Planet," "Making Friendly Robots," and "Exploring the Seas." The workshops were led by Los Angeles area scientists and engineers.

"I am really excited that Aerospace sponsored these El Segundo girls and that hundreds of others fascinated by science got the opportunity to participate in the festival," said Ride, who founded the Sally Ride Science Club TM to encourage girls across the country to pursue their interest in science, math, and technology.

"We are pleased to support this exciting event, which might just be the spark that gets some of these girls launched into science and technology careers," said Dr. William F. Ballhaus Jr., the president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation.

For more information visit the Sally Ride Science Festivals Web site.