What is SpaceKids Global?
In 2022, Sharon Hagle and her husband Marc Hagle became the first married couple to fly to space together.
Sharon Hagle is preparing to launch once again aboard a New Sheppard capsule, but she will have a special audience watching her journey.
Hagle is the founder of SpaceKids Global, a nonprofit organization that seeks to educate and get kids excited about space and stem education, and hopefully find careers in the space industry.
The SpaceKids Global contest chose eight kids from around the country to watch the upcoming New Shepard launch from the control room, and act as a press squad interviewing engineers, astronauts, spacecraft managers and more.
“It’s very important that we get children, elementary school kids engaged in math and science at an early age with SpaceKids global,” Hagle said. “We bring on hands on projects with our partners in the space industry, and this provides them an opportunity to be participators, not spectators, because our goal is to get learning fun again. So, if we can reach as many children in that demographic across the country, we will be able to bring the possibility space to kids everywhere.”
Hagle said her organization also strives to open young people’s eyes to the fact that all sorts of disciplines impact space exploration.
“We want to bring to their attention that it takes a village to send people into space, and everything that we have here on Earth, we're going to need up there,” Hagle said. “We need chefs, mechanics, farmers, everybody. Space is for everyone, and I think that's important. I know we were talking to a couple of kids in the elementary school, and kids at that age think that the only job in the industry is an astronaut, and we have to change that message. Space is for everyone.”
Hagle has had the opportunity to speak to 867,000 kids across the world about stem and space.
“I can't explain how that will change a child's life, that at that age, their eyes light up and they just can't get enough information,” Hagle said. “They want to know everything, and that's why we focus on elementary school kids, because we've got to get their attention, and we have to keep them engaged. So how can we do that? By making learning fun.”
A younger space enthusiast.
Zoey Romero is 12 years old and lives in Orlando Florida. While close to the space coast Zoey has never seen a rocket launch.
But SpaceKids Global is trying to change that with its press squad that will follow Sharon Hagle as she journeys back to space and allow Zoey to interview Blue Origin engineers, astronauts, spacecraft managers and more.
As Sharon Hagle embarks on the journey, Zoey will have her boots on the ground, experiencing a launch from a perspective most people don’t get.
“It just feels like an amazing opportunity,” Zoey said. “Because if I actually want to be an astronaut, that would, that would be great that I have some background and a level of like I know about space and stuff and how things work.”
Zoey is excited that her experience with SpaceKids Global’s Press Squad will combine her favorite hobby and her interest in space.
“I think this would inspire me in some way, because I kind of like space in their technology, but I also like to cook and cooking with space,” Zoey said. “Like creating different foods for space, for them to eat in space. I like the technology, the different technology they use for robots to be adaptable on Mars or on the moon.”
Her interest in space began at Sally Ride Elementary School. It has an aviation and aerospace magnet program and honors Sally Ride, this first American woman to journey into space.
“What sparked me was my science teacher, Miss Paris,” Zoey said. “She was an amazing science teacher. She would explain science in ways that you would be like, ‘Oh my gosh, that's so cool.’ I feel like that's what made me interested in science my teacher.”
Zoey says that while she is a bit nervous, she’s more excited than anything for this experience.
