Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published in the Stamford Advocate.

The competition is on for Stamford High’s science scholars. On Tuesday, Sept. 19, several Stamford High School students attended their first meeting for the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) in Stamford High’s small auditorium to begin their planning for the experiment design competition hosted by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE).

To those unaware, SHS is one of the select few schools participating in the SSEP. Out of the 11,000 schools and science research organizations that applied, Stamford High School and 29 other institutions (30 in total) were chosen to participate in the NCESSE competitive program to develop an experiment design to be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) in NCESSE Mission 12. This requires that each school and its contestants form multiple groups, which come up with their own experiments to be submitted and evaluated.

Stamford High School science teacher Sue Dougherty was the person responsible for providing students with this reputable opportunity. In order to participate in the program, schools selected for the SSEP were required to raise $24,000 to fund their experiments. Dougherty, who is also the community program director for Mission 12, managed to attain the funds through grants from various organizations including the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium at the University of Hartford, People’s United Bank, The Fairfield Community Foundation and Center For the Advancement of Science in Space.

Dougherty said, “This program is an amazing opportunity to get real science research experience,” as students will utilize their skills and knowledge on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to prove their worth and capability to enter the STEM workforce. Senior James Pease, a student participant in the SSEP, said “I am excited to immerse myself in the research and experimental procedures real-world scientists regularly perform, especially because I aspire to be a NASA astrophysicist.”

Dougherty held an info session for the participating students in room 101 to prepare them for their upcoming weeks of work. During the meeting, students received many handouts that introduced them into the program and explained what’s expected of them over the course of the program. Most importantly, they each received a “Critical Timeline” listing crucial dates that include deadlines. Dougherty said that “Students signing up have been exceptional! They’re coming well prepared with specific questions.”

It is undeniable that the students who attended the meeting and signed up to compete in the SSEP showed great intent on working their hardest. Senior Kiran Jagtiani,Round Table editor-in-chief and another participant in the SSEP, says that “It’s really an amazing experience that we’ve been given. I’m so excited to be able to see what my peers and I are able to come up with I’m also really excited to see a Stamford High team be able to send an experiment to the ISS; it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The next step for the members of the SSEP is to await their eventual work times for their experiment designs. Dougherty says that soon, every Tuesday and Thursday, students in the SSEP will be released early every last period of the day to meet up with their teammates and the teachers who will help them plan their experiments.

Furthermore, SSEP participants can also be a part of their own science conference in the Johnson Space Center at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., where they will present their experiment to visitors during the launch of the Mission 12 rocket. SHS will continue its fundraising efforts to raise money in order to send students to Washington D.C. Those who are interested in donating should contact Sue Dougherty at [email protected].

To those who are interested in the SSEP, there is still time to sign up as Oct. 3 is the deadline to join. Please see Ms. Dougherty for details. Otherwise, best of luck to Stamford High’s participants.

For more details click on this link: http://ssep.ncesse.org/about-ssep/the-flight-experiment-design-competition/