NASA and the Library Team Up for A Universe of Stories

by Tanya DiMaggio, Children's Services Coordinator

The library's 2019 Summer Reading Challenge launched on the last day of school. The theme this year is “A Universe of Stories” with all things about the moon, space and STEM. The theme made a partnership between NASA, the John C. Stennis Space Center and the library to bring fun educational programming to St. Tammany's kids, teens and adults natural.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's moon landing, the Stennis Space Center will broadcast a live “virtual” program to libraries in southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25. Children ages 4 and up, teens, and adults are invited to go to their local library branch to view the virtual program titled “Living & Working in Space”. The virtual program, presented by a Stennis Space Center Visitor Relations Specialist, gives participants the opportunity to learn fascinating highlights of the Apollo mission and discover what life was like living and working in space during that period. As we watch the presentation together, there will be opportunities to ask questions using virtual technology. The program is free and open to the public. Branch locations showing the program can be found here.

In addition to this exciting program, NASA educators have shared STEM lesson plans and activities for kids and teens with librarians through the STARNet program that staff will use in the plethora of fun programs the library is offering this summer. Participants in the Teen Reading Challenge and the R2 Club can earn points and a badge by completing the “NASA: 60 Years and Counting” mission. Participants watch eight videos to learn more about NASA and their accomplishments over these past six decades. Finally, the library will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing on July 20 with another amazing program. 

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