Weekly roundup: Santa Ana students explore engineering careers with NASA, OCDE expands early learning programs, and more

A group of Santa Ana Unified students is learning how to utilize the newest space technologies this summer through an internship with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The Summer High School Internship Program, or Space SHIP, pairs up high school students interested in learning more about STEM with professional engineers through an eight-week paid internship at the JPL facilities in Pasadena while offering a hands-on, collaborative learning environment.

With guidance from Segerstrom High School engineering teacher Adam Woods, three high schoolers have had the opportunity to assist laboratory staff with a variety of projects like transferring support equipment that helps build and test spacecrafts and developing the Open Source Rover to increase educational outreach.

“I feel more confident about picking a STEM field, working towards it and continuing on that path throughout college and into my adult life,” said Jordan, a Segerstrom student. “I can safely say that I want to be an engineer when I grow up.”

Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:

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career technical educationcollege and career readinessEarly Learning Serviceseducation in the newsNASA JPLOCDEOrange County Department of EducationSTEM