NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 31, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) Foundation launched 57 teachers and college students from New Orleans and Mississippi into weightlessness yesterday as part of the Northrop Grumman Foundation Weightless Flights of Discovery Program. The goal: to inspire and prepare the next generation of scientists, mathematicians and engineers -- critical areas where the U.S. has fallen behind globally. Joining the teachers on the flight was Dr. Diane Roussel, superintendent of the Jefferson Parrish Public School System.
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://media.primezone.com/noc/
The flights gave teachers and the community-at-large an inspirational opportunity just as New Orleans marked its second anniversary following Hurricane Katrina. In the true spirit of New Orleans, the teachers used everything from feather boas to cheerleader pom-poms to super-hero capes to decorate their flight suits and to use as props for their in-flight experiments.
The Northrop Grumman Foundation Weightless Flights of Discovery is an innovative hands-on training program that gives teachers an 'out-of-this-world' experience as a way to help them inspire their students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Area teachers prepared for the zero-gravity flights this summer by attending workshops and designing experiments to execute while in zero-gravity in order to test Newton's Laws of Motion. Following the flights, the teachers will bring their in-flight experiences, enthusiasm, and videotaped experiments into the classroom, where they will be integrated into lesson plans.
For more information, visit: http://www.northropgrumman.com/community/weightless.html.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.
Editor's Note: Video, hi-res photos and teacher interviews available upon request.
