FAMES® kicked off its 2020 FAMES Role Model Speaker Series with a terrific talk by NASA astronaut Benjamin Alvin Drew, Jr. Colonel (USAF, ret.). The COVID-19 pandemic forced FAMES and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington (BGCGW) to shift to an online only program. We wish it were otherwise, but felt that the safety of the students, speakers, and volunteers was paramount and a priority.
Benjamin Alvin Drew, Jr. Colonel (USAF, ret.) is a DC native and was an inspirational powerhouse in speaking to BGCGW students. His talk was about “The importance of Leadership and Citizenship.” The students were captivated by the presentation as evident in the engaging Q&A session that followed the talk. Drew also enjoyed the interaction, saying “That was far and away the best run online visit that I have experienced to date, and I have worked with no small number of organizations with sophisticated setups and competent savvy media teams. Hats off to you.” We are thrilled with the initial results of the online Role Model Speaker Series.
NASA astronaut Drew started off talking about his journey from growing up in Washington DC to his eventual career as an astronaut. He then discussed the importance of Leadership and Citizenship, emphasizing how the two are interconnected. Students were astonished to learn that Drew, who grew up in DC, first dreamed of becoming a pilot and an astronaut at the age of 5. After high school, his academic achievements earned him the opportunity to attend the United States Air Force Academy where he received a Bachelor of Science in Astronautical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Physics. He continued his education receiving two subsequent Masters Degrees and later a Ph.D. Drew’s outstanding academic accomplishments and professional experience led to his acceptance into NASA’s astronaut program. Find out about Drew’s achievements here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChpcD1zxt2c (courtesy of the United States Air Force). Drew joined NASA’s astronaut corps as a mission specialist astronaut in 2000 logging more than 612 hours in space during his two Space Shuttle missions, STS-118 and STS-133 dedicated to assembling the International Space Station (ISS). Watch Drew in action working on the ISS here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OUTa8RhZvI (courtesy of NASA).
Drew’s presentation generated a lot of questions from aspring future astronauts. They asked about the career path of an astronaut, what courses to take in school, how a spaceship is launched and how it lands, what type of food is consumed in space, how astronauts sleep in space, what happens if an astronaut’s carabiner breaks when they are on a space-walk, and many more questions about the lives of astronauts and how things work in space. Over 20 students logged into the Zoom chat from home to hear the presentation and actively participated in the session. Thank you very much @NASABenjamin Drew. The generous investment of your time was greatly appreciated.
Sincere thanks to Avik B. Ganguly, FAMES and @Shawn Michael Osborn, Branch Director of Jelleff BGCGW, who helped set up the Zoom presentation. We appreciate Shawn’s commitment to #leadership and #STEMeducation for the students.
FAMES® (www.famesusa.org) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring and educating underserved and underrepresented youth in Grades 4-12 in finance, arts, and STEM subjects. FAMES® programs inspire the students to attend college, bolster self-confidence, and help them develop a path for future professional success.