Pupils Meet Astronaut During Sci Tech Festival

School children from Inverness, Badenoch and Strathspey, Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty came face to face with NASA Astronaut Mike Baker when he touched down in Dingwall this morning (Tuesday 14 June) on his mission to meet and speak to Primary 5-7 pupils during a special Sci Tech Festival held at the Highland Football Academy.

Over 575 pupils from 26 different Highland primary schools attended the festival which The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Service had organised to promote the sciences, engineering, technology and maths to young people.

Mike, an experienced space shuttle pilot, has worked for NASA and has taken part in four trips to space.  He launched the festival by giving pupils a fascinating insight into life as an astronaut and giving plenty advice about how to become one.  The children then took part in a range of workshops focussing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

Donald Jack, The Highland Council’s Enterprise in Education Development Manager said:  “It is vital to the economic wellbeing of the Highlands of Scotland that young people are attracted to, and choose to enter, the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.  An event of this kind raises pupils’ awareness of career opportunities and supports their school-based learning.”

Schools attending were: