Do you know a little girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut, a fighter pilot, or an aeronautical engineer? In this episode, we celebrate the achievements of women who dared to follow their own dreams at a time when they were laughed at and dismissed.
First, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Rebecca Siegel, the author of To Fly Among the Stars: The Hidden Story of the Fight for Women Astronauts. Rebecca describes the early years of America’s space program, when 13 brave women trained in a secret, privately-funded program, hoping to earn their spot among the stars. These accomplished air racers, test pilots, and flight instructors later lobbied the White House and Congress to have women included in the astronaut program. Rebecca’s riveting tale about Jerrie Cobb, Janey Hart, and 11 other women serves as an inspiration for any girl who doubts that she can achieve whatever she sets her mind to.
Suzanne also talks with Dr. Ronke Olabisi, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of California, Irvine. She tells listeners about her childhood dream of becoming an astronaut and how that led to her career as a biomedical engineer and inventor.
Resources:
• To Fly Among the Stars: the Hidden Story of the Fight for Women Astronauts
• To learn more about Rising Voices Library: Books Empowering Girls in S.T.E.A.M., contact your local Scholastic Education Representative.
• Women’s History Month book recommendations for all ages
• Women in STEM: 7 Inspiring Stories and Classroom Lessons
Special Thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Coming Soon:
From Fear to Hope: Covering the 1918 Pandemic, the Polio Epidemic, and the Coronavirus Pandemic in Scholastic Classroom Magazines
Honoring Asian American Heritage with Author Kelly Yang and Educator Don Vu
Bringing Music to YA: Tami Charles and Lamar Giles
