Local NASA Solar System Ambassador looking to bring events to Meridian

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) - A Clarkdale Elementary 5th grade science teacher is looking to bring the NASA experience and world of science to Meridian.

Paige Anderson is one of only 6 Solar System Ambassadors for NASA and Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Mississippi. Anderson volunteers on behalf of NASA to plan outreach programs, communicating to the public about NASA’s missions and recent discoveries.

Anderson said she loves being able to take her space teachings beyond the walls of her classroom through these community events. However, most of those NASA events are held in Jackson and Anderson wants to partner with our local organizations and schools to bring those events to Meridian.

“The Children’s Museum, the MAXX, maybe the library, and some other local schools to help put on events for them on behalf of NASA. The ultimate goal is to get more people involved in science, in STEM, in space exploration. So, I think it’s beneficial for kids to be interested in stuff like that. So maybe they have career aspirations to work for NASA or be an astronaut. Or maybe it’s adults who haven’t thought about this kind of stuff in a long time and they’re like ' oh I would be really interested in looking through a telescope, to learn about the new mars and moon missions.’ So I think just generating that interest and engagement in the community is just really important,” said Anderson.

To book a NASA event with Paige Anderson you can visit https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system-ambassadors/directory/

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