Are you ready to launch into the adventure of a lifetime? Have you dreamed of attending Space Camp?
When you attend Space Camp®, you get to be an aspiring explorer training to live and work in space. This is your opportunity to command, navigate, and contribute to a space mission simulation. Space Camp will inspire and motivate you to join the ranks of space pioneers who persevere to push the boundaries of human exploration.
Geek Partnership Society is offering a scholarship that will cover the cost of one session of Space Camp or Space Academy (run by the U.S. Space & Rocket Center) in Huntsville, Alabama, including airfare. Please read through the qualifications and fill out this application. Return it and the requested essay between October 28, 2024 through 11:59 pm January 20, 2025 for this year's program (2025 award). If you are not selected, you may reapply each year that you are qualified. For details about the camp, please go to www.spacecamp.com .
Qualifications:
- Be age 11-14 at time they attend
- Be a resident of the 5-state area (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota).
- Type a 500 to 900 word essay on the topic:
-
If you were an astronaut on a long duration space flight, what challenges do you think you would face and how do you think they could be overcome? Please discuss 3 challenges and their possible solutions. Evaluate one personal, one technical, and one environmental challenge.
Examples:
Personal challenges may include homesickness, boredom, cleanliness, exercise, etc.
Technical may include communications, unexpected system failures, meteors, etc.
Environmental may include breathable air, food/water supplies, radiation, etc.
- Be able to demonstrate an interest in and understanding of space exploration
- Have parental consent and fill out application fully and accurately (attached)
- Have at least one personal/educational reference who can attest to your ability to be successful at Space Camp and supply a letter of recommendation explaining why (copy is fine, we recommend that you keep the original for other future applications).
- Be able to attend Space Camp/Academy during the available time period
- Be able to attend a 5-night program out of state without a parent
- Be able and willing to represent Geek Partnership Society while attending Space Camp
- Be able to:
- Attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 CONvergence convention in Minneapolis for the winner announcement. The winner and responsible adult will receive complimentary memberships to the convention. GPS does not provide hotel, food or transportation expenses.
- OR - attend virtually though a recorded message and/or meeting software.
Details & Disclaimers:
- Geek Partnership Society is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. This scholarship is given from donations of GPS members and partners to help inspire and educate children in space exploration and science. Geek Partnership Society does not discriminate based on race, sex, religion, sexual identity, or citizenship. Selection is done by committee and applicants will be notified via USPS postmarked no later than March 31, 2025. If any information is proven to be inaccurate, GPS reserves the right to reject the application.
- If you are awarded the Space Camp scholarship and are unable to attend for any reason, Geek Partnership Society insists on as much notice as possible to reschedule the session or to possibly pass the scholarship to the runner up. Applicants may apply for as many years that they wish if they meet the qualifications. However, the Geek Partnership Society Space Camp scholarship is limited to once per child.
- GPS will, in partnership with the applicant’s guardians(s), make travel arrangements with a selected airline.
- GPS is not responsible for charges incurred while the student is enrolled at Space Camp (incidentals, souvenirs, etc.), nor for parental airfare should the student be accompanied. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center will provide transportation from Huntsville airport to the Space Camp/ Academy.
- GPS is not responsible for any injuries sustained while child is at Space Camp. GPS also does not provide liability insurance for the protection of the child(ren) while at camp. In consideration for your participation for Space Camp, the individual (and his/her parent/guardian) does hereby release and forever discharge GPS and its board from any and all actions, causes of actions, claims and demands for, upon or by reason of any damage, loss or injury, which hereafter may be sustained by participating in Space Camp including travel to and from camp.
This release extends and applies to, and also covers and includes all unknown, unforeseen, unanticipated and unsuspected injuries, damages, loss and liability and the consequences thereof, as well as those now disclosed and known to exist. The provisions of any state, federal, local or territorial law or state providing substance that releases shall not extend to claims, demands, injuries, or damages which are known or unsuspected to exist at this time, to the person executing such release, are hereby expressly waived.
I hereby agree on behalf of my heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, to indemnify GPS and its officers, board and employees, joint and severally from any and all actions, causes of actions, claims and demands for, upon or by reason of any damage, loss or injury, which hereafter may be sustained by participating in Space Camp.
It is further understood and agreed that said participation in Space Camp is not to be construed as an admission of any liability and acceptance of assumption of responsibility by GPS, its officers, board, and volunteers, jointly and severally, for all damages and expenses for which GPS, its officers, board and volunteers, become liable as a result of any alleged act of the participant.