[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 12, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E38-E39]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANIEL WEBSTER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 12, 2016

  Mr. WEBSTER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize 
Orlando Science Center as it celebrates 60 years.
  Orlando Science Center has undergone many transformations over the 
past 60 years. In 1955, the Central Florida Museum, the original 
namesake of the Orlando Science Center, was officially chartered. The 
``museum without walls'' borrowed spaces in bank lobbies, clubs, and 
the public library to host exhibits. Interest in the museum grew after 
the arrival of the Glenn L. Martin Company, now known as Lockheed 
Martin, sparking the Central Florida community's interest in science 
and technology.
  On July 2, 1960, the museum opened the first planetarium in Florida. 
The planetarium

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was a technological feat in its day; NASA astronauts used it for 
briefings. On March 23, 1970, the museum displayed a moon rock brought 
back by the crew of Apollo 11. The rock drew over 4,200 visitors making 
it the museum's largest single-day attendance to-date. Over the past 60 
years, Orlando Science Center has achieved significant growth and 
continues to inspire learning.
  Today, Orlando Science Center hosts workshops to engage students in 
the Central Florida community. In partnership with Orlando Utilities 
Commission, Project AWESOME hosts STEM workshops for fifth grade 
students in Central Florida. The in-classroom workshops, focusing on 
renewable resources and water conservation, immerse students in real-
life scenarios. Since 2010, Project AWESOME has reached 48,779 fifth 
graders. Sponsored by Siemens, Universal Studios, Bright House Networks 
and Northrop Grumman, Destination STEM is an 18-week program for middle 
school students focusing on STEM disciplines and career paths. The 
Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!), a year-long program for middle and 
high school students, teaches them the tools and skills needed to start 
and manage their own business. In partnership with Orlando, Inc., 
Orlando Science Center is the first and foremost science center in the 
nation to facilitate such a program.
  On behalf of the people of Central Florida, it is my pleasure to 
recognize and congratulate Orlando Science Center on this momentous 
occasion. May their 60 years of dedication to inspire science learning 
in the classroom and the community inspire many to follow in their 
footsteps.

                          ____________________