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News Center

Wings of Eagles Discovery Center Salutes the Pending Orion Launch

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Our team here at Wings of Eagles Discovery Center would like to alert you to a game changing event that will be “launching” today from the Kennedy Space Center. Perched atop a Delta IV rocket, Americas largest heavy lift rocket, the Orion spacecraft will launch into high earth orbit, circle the globe on several orbits and return through the atmosphere to splash down in the Pacific Ocean. This will be a full systems check and dress rehearsal for future manned launches ultimately designed to send Astronauts to Mars and beyond. The launch will test the re-entry heat shield, onboard life support systems and the launch safety protocols.

Orion is scheduled to launch at 7:05 AM EST from launch complex 37 at Kennedy and will climb to an altitude of 3,500 miles or 15 times higher than the orbit of the International Space Station. US Navy ships will be at the splash down area 600 miles west of Baja California for recovery operations. We can all watch the launch and the full two hour mission live here: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/starting at 6:00 AM EST.

Join us in wishing the NASA team a flawlessly successful mission …

Science On a Sphere is Coming to Wings of Eagles Discovery Center

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Wings of Eagles Discovery Center is proud to share that we have received a grant to include a new educational tool from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) called “Science On a Sphere”. As described on the NOAA website, Science On a Sphere is similar to a giant animated globe where computers and video projectors are used to display planetary data onto a six foot diameter sphere. We feel this is a huge educational tool for our area and will set our community and museum apart from anything like it in the surrounding area. Look for updates about the project as we move farther along in the installation process. Read More…

Read the official announcement from Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand about Science On a Sphere at Wings of Eagles Discovery Center:

“October 11, 2014

Dear Friends,

It is a privilege to welcome everyone attending the Mission to Mars Gala hosted by the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center.

I am grateful for the continued dedication and commitment of the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center to bring programs centered on education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to the New York community. By providing a rich STEM education through a host of programs, you are affording New Yorkers and visitors from around the world the opportunity to gain exposure to STEM education in a fun and engaging way. Earlier this year I was lucky enough to experience firsthand your vast aircraft collection, wonderful exhibits, and flight simulators, all while watching children actively engaged. This is a remarkable asset for New York and plays a key role in getting our young men and women interested in STEM.

I am pleased to announce tonight the new “Science on a Sphere” exhibit. This exhibit has been made possible through a partnership with the USDA and Cornell University and will only add to the wonderful experience offered at this extraordinary center.

It is my hope that your efforts serve as an example of the positive contributions an institution such as Wings of Eagles Discovery Center can make to New York and across the nation. Please accept my best wishes for a wonderful event and many more years of continued success.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Gillibrand
United States Senator”

Press Release – Houston We Have Landed … Mars Base One Here

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Houston We Have Landed … Martian Base One Here – Wings of Eagles Discovery Center plans a day dedicated to the planet Mars and plans to introduce its new education program “Earn Your Mars Driver’s License” to the public.
Horseheads, NY (October 9, 2014) – This Saturday, October 11, 2014, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center will be demonstrating a new academically focused, STEM based, youth robotics program entitled, “Earn Your Mars Driver’s License.” This new education program will be the first of its kind in the US and has been developed with local teachers. The curriculum for the Mars exploration activities reinforces real world classroom math and science requirements and adds greatly to the overall experience of the students who participate. Mike Hall, President of Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, said, “Allowing students to work towards something tangible like a Martian driver’s license makes the experience more real to them and they learn about math and science while having fun.” The “Earn Your Mars Driver’s License” program will be held on Saturday mornings this fall and starts October 18th.

The new program will be demonstrated at Wings of Eagles during “Family Fun Day on Mars,” Saturday, October 11th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The event is open to the public and visitors should bring their appetites for lots of good “Martian” food and snacks on location. Visitors can also take part in a kids costume contest, face painting, a museum scavenger hunt, simulator flights, and special Mars exhibits including 3-D images captured by NASA of the Martian surface.

The day continues with “Mission to Mars,” an evening fundraising gala. “Our Mission to Mars Gala is an important event because 100% of the ticket proceeds go directly toward local education programs here at Wings of Eagles. We use those funds to pay for classroom materials, develop new programs and offer needs-based scholarships to student’s who’s families cannot afford to participate without assistance,” said Hall. The gala will have live music by Joe Cavallaro’s Dixieland Jazz Band, beer and wine tasting thanks to Birdland Brewing Company, GCP Discount Liquors & Wines and Elmira Distributing Company, and will feature dinner and desserts by Sweet-N-Saucy. The evening’s keynote speaker will be Shoshanna Cole, a Mars Research Scientist based at Cornell University. Tickets are still available for the gala at www.WINGSOFEAGLES.com.

Hall added that the day’s events would not be possible without the assistance of the event’s sponsors. The day’s sponsors include Williams Capital Corporation, Streeter Associates Inc., Chemung Canal Trust Company, the Hardinge Group, Robert Pfuntner Radio Stations, Picnic Pizza, Greek Peak Mountain Resort, and the Happy Hippo.

For complete details regarding any of the day’s activities please visit www.WINGSOFEAGLES.com.

Individual press interviews and additional background information available on request.

Wings of Eagles Discovery Center is a regional, non-profit, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) facility in central upstate New York that provides formal and informal education for Kindergarten through 12th graders using aviation and space technology themed lessons. All of our programs are designed to integrate with and supplement the public classroom curriculum. In addition, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center also holds a historic aircraft collection comprised of aircraft, replicas, missiles, flight simulators and other items that are on display for public viewing. The collection covers a range of technological and cultural advances in aviation and aerospace from World War II to the present.

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Press Release – Wings of Eagles Discovery Center is Planning a Mission to Mars

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


JOIN US FOR A TRIP TO MARS

Wings of Eagles Discovery Center will showcase its groundbreaking new Earn Your Mars Driver’s License education program during a day full of activities celebrating two of the Martian rovers’ time on Mars.

Horseheads, NY (September 16, 2014) – On Saturday, October 11th from 10 AM to 2 PM, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center will be celebrating the 10 years of exploration the Spirit and Opportunity rovers have spent on Mars. The Discovery Center will be offering special museum admission prices that day; $5 for individuals and $10 for families. The day will include kid’s activities, special Mars exhibits and a first look at a brand new STEM based learning program where students can earn a Martian Driver’s License. An educational first, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center’s new Earn Your Mars Driver’s License program will allow students to work in teams to explore a simulated Martian terrain using iPad controlled robots while completing classroom based tasks. The new program has an adaptable curriculum that can be customized to different grade levels and school districts. This along with the Discovery Center’s internet remote capability means this new learning concept can be deployed anywhere that high speed internet services reach around the country. This program is a national first originating right here in the Southern Tier.

To continue the celebration, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center will be hosting their annual fundraising gala at 6 PM on October 11th. This year’s gala is entitled Mission to Mars and the evening’s program will include a presentation by Mars Research Scientist, Shoshanna Cole, currently based at Cornell University. Her presentation celebrating ten years of NASA’s successful deployment of the Mars rover program will add a global perspective to the need for early and continuous STEM education throughout all sectors of our school system. In order to fulfill the need locally, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center will use 100% of the proceeds from the Mission to Mars ticket sales to fund STEM based youth education programs at the Discovery Center. More information can be found at http://www.wingsofeagles.com/events/mission-to-mars/

Wings of Eagles Discovery Center is a regional, non-profit, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) facility in central southern New York state that provides formal and informal education for Kindergarten through 12th graders using aviation and space technology themed lessons. All of our programs are designed to integrate with and supplement the public classroom curriculum. In addition, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center also holds a historic aircraft collection comprised of aircraft, replicas, missiles, flight simulators and other items that are on display for public viewing. The collection covers a range of technological and cultural advances in aviation and aerospace from World War II to the present.

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Great Summers Pave the Way for New Adventures in Fall

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There are Few Things More Important Than Inspiring the Next Generation

It’s been a tremendous summer at your Wings of Eagles Discovery Center where more than 350 families took advantage of our pioneering Summer of Innovation program and enrolled their students in one or more of the 14 different Science, Technology, Engineering and Math summer courses. Once again, demand out stripped student seats, but the summer staff worked overtime to try to accommodate every parent who contacted us. From Little Engineers to Underwater Robotics, our third year offering these one-of-a-kind experiences for boys and girls from Southern Tier families made an impact on our area’s youth.

Our “Living Mission” Sees An Increase In Visitor Attendance

We have also seen an increase in summer visitors exploring the Discovery Center and our unique collection of historic aircraft and space artifacts. Our tour guide, Rich Green, who has lead several hundred visitors through the collection says that the number of stories we are hearing, such as “my father flew in WW 2″ and “I remember that helicopter from my tour in Vietnam”, are truly remarkable. Being able to offer a positive historic experience while Summer of Innovation was in full swing took quite a bit of juggling, but our visitors have been exceptionally supportive of our mission to use the historic museum collection to inspire STEM education opportunities. One visitor commented that he wished other museums would become more like our “living” mission. That sort of feedback makes one’s sacrifice and long hours worthwhile.

Ready, Set, … Launch on a Mission to Mars!

In the fall, we will be breaking new ground by offering year round, after school and weekend science courses including our innovative “Martian Driver’s License” learning experience. Combining “first in the country” iPad controlled “robots” with a class room coordinated curriculum, we will be demonstrating how real world robotics can be combined with virtual and distance learning programs to provide a richer learning environment for students. This unique course developed here by your Wings of Eagles staff, will kick off with a demonstration on October 11th during a day we are calling Mission to Mars. During the day, we will be celebrating the 10 years of exploration that the Spirit and Opportunity rovers have spent on Mars. We will also be showcasing special Mars exhibits and kids activities, and hosting an evening reception and dinner. The day’s activities will include a special appearance by a Mars research scientist working from Cornell University as part of NASA’s Martian rover program. All proceeds from the day’s events will be used to fund teacher activities as we launch the “Martian Driver’s License” program which will be the first in a series of nationally unique programs. Whether you have seen our “Save the Date” announcement or received information about local and national business sponsorship opportunities, we hope you can join us!
Learn more at http://bit.ly/WEgala

Alison Mandel Wins Circle of Service Award

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Fresh off her nomination for the coveted Jefferson Award, Alison Mandel has been awarded the prestigious Circle K International‘s Circle of Service award. Anyone who knows Alison, Director of Education at Wings of Eagles, recognizes the tremendous volunteer effort she puts into Kiawanis, touching the lives of many youth and enriching their lives. Way to go Alison! Congratulations and richly deserved!!!