ZeroG Flight Teachers to be Named

The Southwestern Virginia Technology Council and the Big Stone Gap, VA. Masonic Lodge No. 208 will name two public school teachers at the Powell Valley Middle School in Big Stone Gap on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, 10:00 AM, to fly weightless in the ZeroGravityCorporation jet on Saturday, October 3rd 2009. The teachers selected will subsequently encouarge school children to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM] from the initial spaceflight training parabolic flight.

State Senator William C. Wampler, Jr., State Delegate Terry G. Kilgore, and Space Frontier Foundation Advocates Megan Seals and Jack Kennedy will join with representatives of the two civic organizations for the unique announcement in the Central Appalachian Mountains of Big Stone Gap. The tandum organizations will also name two back-up public school teachers as the organizations together have invested over $11,000 in the flights and promotions.

In 2010 the two civic organizations will name high school teenagers who demonstrate promise in STEM to fly in yet another Virginia ZeroGravityCorporation flight from Dulles, VA. The technology council and the Masons will also challenge other regional civic organizations to sponsor either an Appalachian region high school student or a regional public school teacher to fly next year at $5,000 each.