Issued: 14 April 2015, Historic Union Station
Kansas City Science Center, Science City hosts GSK Science in the Summer™
Program brings free STEM education to elementary students across the nation and here in Kansas City
GSK Science in the Summer™ program is coming to Kansas City’s Science Center, Science City at historic Union Station.
The GSK Science in the Summer™ program, which has brought free, hands-on science classes to elementary-aged students in a handful of select East Coast cities for nearly 30 years, has partnered with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to expand the program nationally. The program is sponsored by GSK and administered by AAAS in conjunction with Association of Science-Technology Centers-member museums and science centers. Kansas City’s Science Center, Science City is one of 12 new science centers/museums to host GSK Science in the Summer™ in 2015.
“It’s an honor for Science City to be one of 12 centers chosen for this national expansion,” said Executive Vice President and COO of Union Station, Jerry Baber. “This is a great opportunity that allows us to expose young underserved students of our area to the benefits of early ‘STEM’ (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education at no cost to them. Connecting with young minds and inspiring critical thinking and curiosity is absolutely essential and our primary focus at Science City.”
Each of the host science centers will offer outreach classes to 240 students. The courses will use the GSK Science in the Summer™ chemistry curriculum. The course is targeted at students entering second through sixth grades and is led by science educators. The national GSK Science in the Summer™ program will teach students the basics of chemistry through hands-on experiments.
“Our Science Center has consistently received national recognition of our ability to deliver hands-on programming to our community. This is yet another strong vote of confidence in what we offer. Attendance increased by 14% in 2014. People are invested in our product and they continue coming back,” Baber said. “Kansas City benefits each time we expand and reach new audiences.”
Young scientists will learn what matter is and that it is not always the same. They will observe physical and chemical changes with fun, interactive experiments. Students also will decide if substances are acids, bases, or neutrals by using litmus and pH papers and a universal indicator.
For more information, visit www.scienceinthesummer.com.
AAAS is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science, technology, and engineering for the benefit of all people. For further information, please visit www.aaas.org/.
GSK – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information, go to us.gsk.com, follow us on twitter.com/GSKUS, or visit our blog (www.morethanmedicine.us.gsk.com/blog/).
For more information on GSK’s global STEM education program, visit gskscienceeducation.com.
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Media Contact:
Michael Tritt, Chief Marketing Officer, 816-460-2278, [email protected]
Marti Skold Jordan, Manager External Communications, 919-315-8854, [email protected]
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D ‘Risk factors’ in the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2013.
About Union Station Kansas City, Inc.
Union Station Kansas City is a historical landmark and civic asset renovated and reopened to the public in 1999. The organization, driven by its mission of science, history education and entertainment, is home to Kansas City’s Science Center; the popular Model Railroad Experience; the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium; the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre, H&R Block City Stage featuring live theater, and a selection of unique shops and restaurants. Union Station is also home to prominent area civic organizations and businesses and regularly hosts world-class traveling exhibitions and community events. Visit www.unionstation.org for details.
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