Goddard's Education Programs Office Participates in "Blast Off to Reading" Program

	Dillard Menchan Chief, Equal Opportunity Programs Office addresses audience

Last week the District of Columbia (D.C.) public library launched the Summer Quest, "Blast Off to Reading" program. The Summer Quest is a cooperative summer reading project with the Maryland State Department of Education and Maryland Public Libraries and D.C. Public Libraries. The program targets children in grades K-8 to encourage children to read and visit the library. Students are rewarded with stickers, books, coupons and a certificate for reading a specific number of books.

To blast the students off into a summer full of reading was Goddard's Dillard Menchan Chief, Equal Opportunity Programs Office who discussed the significance of NASA's partnership with the reading program, Blake Reid from the National Air and Space Museum and Anchorman Del Walters of WJLA-TV. In addition, Goddard's Education Program Office arranged for Astronaut Leland Melvin to participate in this event by reading the book

Astronaut Leland Melvin reads to students. Photos by Chris Gunn/293

Postcard from Pluto by Loreen Leedy (Holiday House, 1993) to several elementary students from D.C. public schools. Students were excited when Melvin took the stage and read the book about "children in the story becoming so inspired by what they see in space that they write postcards to their family and friends back home on planet Earth."

Summer Quest 2003 is from June to September. Throughout the summer children can visit libraries in D.C. and Maryland for various reading activities and book reading sessions. Also during the months of July and August Goddard scientists and engineers will be visiting libraries to talk with the students who are participating in the he summer program about their careers, display their work and engage them in activities.

This partnership is a clearly demonstrates how NASA is inspiring the next generation.