Written by Jennifer Elliot

Happy Space Day! One of my favorite things about working at the Intrepid Museum is how often people are surprised to learn about Intrepid’s connection to space… something we’re always excited to share in impressive fashion. USS Intrepid served in the U.S. Navy from 1943-1974. During that time, it operated in the Pacific Theater during World War II, did three tours in Vietnam and was the recovery vessel for two NASA missions in the Space Race. In 1962, Intrepid recovered Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter who flew aboard the Aurora 7 capsule. Three years later, Intrepid did it again, recovering the Gemini 3 capsule carrying astronauts John Young and Gus Grissom.  

Today at the Museum, in addition to telling these stories of Intrepid’s role in the Space Race, we also have Enterprise, the prototype orbiter for the space shuttle program. We use this impressive artifact to engage with visitors regularly, through dynamic programming such as our Astronomy Nights and Virtual Astro Live programs. Astronomy Nights coincide with select Free Fridays at the Museum; and Virtual Astro Live programs are freely streamed; both of these programs make astronomy topics and the latest research accessible to the public. In my work with teens and youth, I teach a variety of topics such as physics and engineering design principles to encourage young women to pursue aerospace at the college and career levels. This is done through our Techs of Tomorrow Summer Youth Employment Program as well as our annual Girls in Science and Engineering Day festival every March. 

I personally have loved space since I first watched Princess Leia fight for a galaxy far, far away. Now, as an adult, I get to teach about space nearly every day and I wouldn’t have it any other way. On this Space Day, I encourage you to find your own connection to space. Whether it’s by visiting the Intrepid Museum to check out Enterprise or simply taking a moment to gaze at the night sky this evening, I hope this day inspires you to pause, take a look at the beauty of our universe, and as always reach for the stars!

Jennifer Elliott (she/her/hers), Manager of Youth Leadership and Alumni Programs, has been at the Intrepid Museum since January 2014 working in various education roles with K-12 students and teachers, and most recently working with teens and taking over the GOALS for Girls program (now known as Techs of Tomorrow).  In her free time she enjoys anything beach related, quilting, watching early episodes of Law and Order: SVU, and doing FaceTime brunches with her niece.

Written by Latasha Wright

Why Science Outreach!

First I need to let you know who I am.  I am Latasha Wright, a cis-gendered African American woman from rural Mississippi. I was the youngest of 5 kids. My mom was a stay at home mom. My dad was a longshoreman.  Neither went to college, but they instilled in me the importance of education.  Every day afterschool, my father would ask me what I learned at school today.  I was a precocious kid who loved asking questions and determining how things worked.  I went to an HBCU called Tougaloo College.  At Tougaloo, my love for research science was born.   I spent my summers in research labs at NIH and Johns Hopkins.  Eventually, I continued on this path by obtaining my PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology at NYU.

In graduate school, I was a recruiter and I found that if I really wanted to make an impact on the number of African Americans or POC who chose to pursue their PhDs I needed to go to the K-12 space.  In 2008,  I was introduced to Ben Dubin-Thaler.  He had just bought a bus off of craigslist and was taking it to schools and communities to teach kids about science!   Of course, after my first day of teaching on the mobile lab I was hooked!   The students were so excited and that excitement was contagious.  It made me remember why I became a scientist in the first place.   The students and I were discovering together how cool a piece of broccoli looked and how hairy bees were when you looked up close using a microscope.  These observations led to many fruitful discussions and development of several hypotheses. 

BioBus 2013

What’s your Function?

We set out to test the hypothesis that if you give people hands-on experience in an authentic research environment, that will empower them to embrace and practice science.  This happened to work better than we expected.   Our mobile labs are a field trip that comes to you.  We park in front of schools and 6 classes come down during their normal science class to work side-by-side with scientists to do hands-on exploration using place-based science.  There was a general outcry for more!   In 2016, we partnered with the Simons Foundation to build a second mobile lab.  The mobile labs have extensively traveled locally and as far Houlton, Maine for the lunar eclipse last year.  We also saw that students wanted more and now offer after school, weekend, and summer programs as well as internships.

What’s next!

In May of 2024, the 400,000th student boarded a BioBus mobile labs. The desire for mobile lab programs increases every year.  We currently have a waiting list of hundreds of requests to bring BioBus to schools throughout NYC and beyond.  As a result, we are building two new mobile labs.  BioBus has always been focused on sustainability.  In fact, all of our mobile labs have solar panels and the original mobile lab used to run on biofuels. In the old days, we would get old french fry grease and filter it to power the bus!  We have abandoned that aspect of renewable energy (due to operational challenges), but we have embraced solar energy.  Our new buses are 100% electric and they will have solar panels on top as well.  The solar panels power the microscopes and lab inside the bus. 

Electric BioBus

The new mobile labs will double our capacity to bring science to the schools and communities who need hands-on science education.  BioBus will be open to partner with other community based organizations or museums to use the mobile lab as a platform to reach new target audiences.  We envision a future where every  student has access to hands-on science education through a BioBus mobile lab visit in New York and Boston.

Latasha Wright, Ph.D.,

is the Executive Scientific Officer of BioBus. BioBus enables Latasha to share her love of science with a new generation of scientists. Every day that Latasha spends teaching students about science in this transformative environment helps her remember that science is fun. She loves sharing the journey of discovery with students of all ages. Latasha is apart of the Leadership Team at NY STEAM Girls Collaborative.

Written by Paula Henry

The story of a Black woman in STEM is one of brilliance, grit, and the quiet resilience of constantly proving oneself in spaces not built for us. It is a story of long nights, unspoken doubts, and the unwavering determination to break barriers—not just for ourselves, but for the ones who will follow.

The College Years: Twice the Work for Half the Recognition

College was a battleground, but not just because of the rigorous coursework. The real challenge was the unspoken expectation that I had to be twice as good to be seen as competent. Every exam, every project, every late night in the library was a silent negotiation between exhaustion and ambition.

There were moments when I sat in classrooms where I was the only Black woman, feeling the weight of having to represent an entire demographic. Moments when my ideas were overlooked until they came from someone else’s mouth. Moments when I questioned if I truly belonged, despite the countless hours I poured into mastering the material.

I was fighting for my place in a world that often doubted my existence in these spaces.

But I stayed. I studied harder. I asked more questions. I sought out mentors, built my own support system, and reminded myself that I was not just fighting for a degree—I was fighting for my place in a world that often doubted my existence in these spaces.

From Graduation to Reality: A New Battlefield

Leaving college did not mean leaving the struggle behind. If anything, the challenges evolved. Instead of worrying about grades, I had to navigate workplace dynamics where my presence was an anomaly.

There were the raised eyebrows when I introduced myself as an expert in my field. The surprise on faces when I presented complex solutions with confidence. The moments when my ideas were met with skepticism until validated by someone else.

Imposter syndrome whispered that maybe I was just lucky to be here. But deep down, I knew luck had nothing to do with it. I had earned my seat at the table through relentless effort, intellectual curiosity, and an unshakable belief in my capabilities.

Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

Every project I lead, every problem I solve, every young Black girl who sees me and thinks, ‘I can do that too’—these are victories.

Now, standing at this point in my journey, I realize that my presence in STEM is an act of defiance. Every success I achieve chips away at the outdated notions of who belongs in this field. Every project I lead, every problem I solve, every young Black girl who sees me and thinks, ‘I can do that too’—these are victories.

The journey has never been easy, but it has been worth it. And while I work twice as hard, I do it, not only to prove something to the world, but because I love the work. Because I refuse to let the struggle define me more than the brilliance that brought me here.

To the Black women coming up in STEM: Keep pushing. Keep learning. Keep taking up space. You belong here, and the world is better because you refuse to back down.

Paula is the Operations Coordinator at IRL Systems, Inc. based in New York City. She is a Brooklyn native, with a passion for strategizing and consulting; making life easy for small businesses. She graduated from SUNY Brockport with a Bachelor’s in Computer Information Systems. In her free time she can be found reading, shopping or learning about the next best makeup product.

IG; biiscuittea__            Linkedin; Paula Henry

Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club

The Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club first found out they were eligible for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) through their partnership with the Orange/Lawrence County Initiative and decided to enroll to be able to serve their participants snacks. In the beginning, they experienced challenges with implementing CACFP at the club. There were issues in tracking the snack count correctly, which is required for claiming reimbursement. The club came up with a corrective action plan, which helped them better track the numbers.  Under the plan, a staff member is responsible for escorting the students to get their snack. The students then line up, and each time a student grabs a snack, their name is recorded along with the snack count.

The Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club has been enrolled for CACFP for five years. As Executive Director, Thomas Luckie states, “[CACFP has] been a tremendous benefit because the kids are getting healthy and balanced snacks. They are eating [food] they haven’t tried in the past… The reimbursement for us is huge…because to be a member, it’s $6.00 a year and no one is ever turned away if they can’t pay.”

Now, successfully serving snacks under CACFP, the club also incorporates nutrition curriculum into their other various enrichment activities. In addition, it promotes physical activity and provides fitness equipment such as exercise bikes, balls, and more. Altogether, the club has a multipronged approach to ensuring their participants learn to lead a healthy lifestyle.

To learn more about the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), please visit our website to read more CACFP Success Stories from afterschool programs across the states, along with helpful webinars, a sample menu, and a meal-planning template.

CACFP Success Story

Carver Center: Port Chester, New York

What could you do with a reimbursement of $35,000 a month?

The Carver Center is a great example of how programs, students, and families can benefit from the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). They serve approximately 9,600 meals per month, sponsoring seven afterschool program sites in the Port Chester community.

Before enrolling for CACFP in October 2011, the Carver Center relied on donations and fundraising events to raise the funds they needed for food and meal preparation. Due to those limited funds, the food served was not the best quality and rarely made from scratch. Now, the Carver Center has established a close partnership with the Food Bank of Westchester, in addition to a variety of other vendors, enabling them to purchase foods at a reduced rate and therefore feed more children. They prepare the food on-site at their center, and then the food is delivered to various sites and served by trained servers. When they first began participating in CACFP in 2011, they were serving meals that totaled $9,000 in monthly reimbursement. As Alex Chavarria, Chief Business Officer at the Carver Center, stated, “Now, we are fortunate to receive reimbursement for every meal equaling $35,000 a month… We have happier parents who no longer have to worry about providing dinner, and healthier children who are well-fed when they leave our programs.”

Although transitioning to CACFP did require the students to adjust from the processed foods they were used to, the students are now willing to try new foods and they look forward to the new food options.  In addition, the Carver Center plans their menus ahead and gets students and families excited about the upcoming meals by sharing those menus in advance. Carver’s Chief Learning Officer, Leanne Tormey shared that “providing menus to families ahead of time and sharing menus with students has increased satisfaction and made meals events that the children look forward to each day!”

Learn more about CACFP eligibility and how to get your program started serving healthy meals and receiving reimbursements like the Carver Center by visiting AfterschoolMealsNY.org. Carver Center, offers the following advice for afterschool programs interested in enrolling for CACFP, “planning is key to success…Everyone from our chef to our prep staff, delivery team, and servers are well-trained and committed to high levels of service for our families. We recommend starting small and watching your programs grow over time.”

CACFP Success Story

Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club | Bronx, New York

When Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club enrolled in CACFP in 2005, they had no second thoughts; providing healthy afterschool meals aligned perfectly with their mission to serve the educational and developmental needs of young people. Director of Operations Jaynemarie Enyonam Angbah explains, “In order for children to function academically and in life, they need access to healthy food.”

                Many of the children that attend the Club’s programs struggle with food insecurity, and may not have access to three healthy meals a day. Through CACFP, the Club can provide a hot meal and a snack during their afterschool programs. They work with a food vendor, Red Rabbit, which delivers refrigerated meals daily. Program staff then heat and serve them to youth in their enrichment programs. The meals are healthy and varied, allowing kids the opportunity to experience new foods and enjoy favorites like rice, chicken, tacos, and other healthy food options.

CACFP has benefitted Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in a number of ways. It helps offset the high cost of food, allowing the Club to serve around 600 meals each day, and it enhances the nutritional quality of the meals and snacks served. Angbah explains, “[CACFP] enabled us to focus on a healthy program. We want to make sure we are serving food that is healthy for our children [and] allows them to live well. CACFP has clear meal requirements to ensure we are serving the nutritious meals kids need.” She also sees connections between afterschool nutrition and broader health outcomes for families, saying, “There are conversations about obesity and diabetes being connected to the foods we eat. We need to give our children and families options to think about foods to incorporate in their regular diets.”

Angbah encourages other afterschool providers to enroll in CACFP as “it a rare gift and opportunity to serve children and families.” To learn more about serving afterschool meals through CACFP, visit AfterschoolMealsNY.org.

Lesson Title: Pick up the Healthy Food Choices

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn to identify the specific foods that are either healthy or unhealthy.

Grade(s): 1-4

Location(s) to play: Classroom, cafeteria, or gym

Time: 30 minutes

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

1. Each student receives a balloon and writes a specific food item on it or onto a piece of paper that is taped to the balloon. Assign some students to write healthy foods, and some to write unhealthy foods. For example, a student might write the word “carrot” on the balloon. Have the students continue to label balloons until all of them are labeled.
2. Divide the students into 4 teams. Scatter the balloons on the floor. Have each team line up in a single file line at a starting line behind their team’s basket.
3. An afterschool counselor will have a timer and say “Start.”
4. The first person from each team runs to the balloons and picks up one or more balloons that are healthy food items, and then runs back to their team’s basket to deposit the balloon(s).
5. Once a team member deposits their balloon(s), the next team member will go and pick up another balloon(s). Everyone must have a turn to pick up a balloon.
6. They will place those balloons in their team’s basket. The student can pick us as many balloons they can hold. When time is up, the team with the most balloons wins.

Materials/Equipment:

Balloons (about 5 balloons per participant, must be blown up ahead of time)

Timer

Marker

Tape (optional)

Paper (optional)

4 baskets

Follow-Up Questions:

1. What did you think of this game?
2. What did you learn from the game?
3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

Extension Activity:

Prepare a lesson on the reasons why each food mentioned is healthy or unhealthy. Explain the health benefits of eating healthy and the harmful effects of eating unhealthy. Use the resources below:

1. http://www.nourishinteractive.com/nutrition-education-printables (worksheets for healthy food groups)
2. http://www.momjunction.com/articles/effects-eating-junk-food-children_0015799/#gref
3. https://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/family/the-immediate-effect-fast-food-has-on-children-1.317147

Lesson Title: Kicking for Healthy Eating

Lesson Objectives: Students will learn to identify the specific healthy food items under each food group.

Grade(s): 1-5

Location(s) to play: Gym or cafeteria

Time: 30 to 45 minutes

Summary of Tasks/Actions:

1. Set up 8 goals on opposite sides of the space chosen: 4 goals each for two teams titled “Whole Grains, Lean Meat/Meat Alternative, Vegetables, and Fruits.”
2. Divide the students into two teams and identify which set of goals each team is aiming for.
3. When the afterschool counselor asks, “What food group do(es) [specific food] belong to?” the teams start play in the same fashion as soccer. They compete to get the ball, using only their feet, and try to kick it into the correct goal to answer the question.
4. Each correct answer is 1 point.
5. After each point, the afterschool counselor asks about another specific food and play starts again.
6. The team with the highest points wins.

Materials/Equipment:

Ball

Cardboard boxes to create 8 goal posts, or 8 actual soccer goals

Flip chart pad or whiteboard (to write down the score)

Markers (to record the score)

Follow-Up Questions:

1. What did you think of this game?
2. What did you learn from the game?
3. What would you change to make the learning stronger?

Answer Key:

Foods under Whole Grains: Brown rice, quinoa, pita bread, bread, bun, cereal, barley, oatmeal

Foods under Lean Meat/Meat Alternative: Fish, egg, tofu, chicken, turkey, pork, lentil, lamb

Foods under Vegetable: Broccoli, carrot, beans, lettuce, tomato

Foods under Fruits: Apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, orange, banana, apple