Larsen Motorsports, NASA Announce STEM Partnership
Florida Tech Affiliate, Space Agency
Team Up for Students
MELBOURNE, FLA. — Blazing Trails, the non-profit educational outreach organization at Florida Tech affiliate Larsen Motorsports, announced today that it has teamed with NASA’s STEM education initiative to promote advanced manufacturing, technology, and skilled, trade-based careers on Florida’s Space Coast and across the country.
The partnership between Blazing Trails and NASA HUNCH (High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware), will utilize industry partners to promote high-tech jobs with U.S. manufacturers. Targeted participants include high school and college students who are exploring Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, career paths.
Blazing Trails teaches students hands-on skills, taking classroom lessons and applying them to real-world experiences.
Educational tools to spark students’ curiosity in high-tech and advanced manufacturing will be continuously developed based on the workforce requirements of participating manufacturers. Existing tools are being used in NASA’s Rockets to Race Cars educational outreach that helps students to learn the science behind high-performance vehicles.
Blazing Trails is the brainchild of Elaine Larsen, president of Larsen Motorsports and champion driver of the Florida Tech jet dragster. She said she is committed to helping young men and women find a direction that allows them to live their dreams – and elevate American industry at the same time.
“It’s important for today’s youth, for America’s workforce, and for manufacturing in America,” she said.
Lisa Passarelli, project manager for NASA HUNCH at Kennedy Space Center, added, “I look forward to working with Blazing Trails as we share with students of all ages the STEM science behind rocket engines and jet engines, space suits and fire suits, and the wide variety of equipment found in both vehicles. As we share the science, we will also share the education paths and career fields that support our high-tech industries across America.”
The collaboration will initially focus on Florida’s Space Coast, though plans call for the development of a technology “roadshow” that will travel across the United States as additional partners join the initiative.
For more information or to learn how you to connect with this new partnership, please visit https://www.blazingtrails.info/ or email elaine@LMSjets.com.
###
