Out of This World: A Cortez PTO Brings the Universe to Students

A statewide focus on math and reading test scores means that at Cortez elementary schools, science class gets the short end of the proverbial stick. (Because of the emphasis on test scores, funding is directed largely to the other two subjects.) To help ensure the next generation of Galileos don’t miss out, Kemper Elementary’s PTO had an idea: What if there was a way to bring a SkyDome Astronomy Immersion program—age-appropriate astronomy lessons inside an inflatable planetarium—to four elementary schools for six full-day sessions? Fortunately, there was a way. With support from the LOR Foundation, this winter the SkyDome Astronomy program will reach more than 1,000 Cortez students.