Rhode Island Boy Wins EcoTarium's Be An Astronaut Contest
Museum Gives Astronaut Training Experience and Travel Money to Lucky Family
MEDIA CONTACT: Sarah Hesshaus
Communications Manager
shesshaus@ecotarium.org
(508)929-2738
(WORCESTER, Mass.) -- The EcoTarium, A Museum of Science and Nature, has selected a winner of their Be An Astronaut Contest. Douglas Deslauriers of Rhode Island was the raffle winner of a Family Astronaut Training Experience at Kennedy Space Center and $1,000 for travel expenses.
Douglas and his family visited the EcoTarium in August 2007 for his younger sister’s birthday. Sarah had eagerly been waiting for her seventh birthday so she could go on the EcoTarium's Tree Canopy Walkway, which has an age limit. Unfortunately, Douglas was unable to go on the Tree Canopy Walkway because he had just broken his arm playing with a soccer ball. So, he and his mother decided go to the EcoTarium's new Alden Digital Planetarium to see Passport to the Universe, a thrilling trip through the cosmos narrated by Tom Hanks. Douglas, whose favorite subjects in school are math and science, said the planetarium show was "really cool!". He entered his planetarium ticket into the raffle for the Be An Astronaut Contest. Little did he know that thanks to his broken arm he would win a trip to the Kennedy Space Center’s Family Astronaut Training Experience (ATX).
Jennifer Glick, Director of Marketing and Development at the EcoTarium, was delighted that Douglas had been chosen as the winner. "He and his family are so excited. Douglas represents the typical EcoTarium guest – a child passionate about nature and science. We are so pleased for him." His mother, Leslee Deslauriers, says their family visits the EcoTarium often. "We love the EcoTarium! It's the perfect combination of zoo and museum."
Douglas and his family will be traveling to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in July 2008. The Family ATX experience includes a VIP private tour of the Kennedy Space Center, special presentations about space flight, building and launching model rockets, the opportunity to meet a veteran NASA astronaut, and a chance to experience realistic space flight simulators and a full-scale space shuttle mission simulation.
EcoTarium, A Museum of Science & Nature, offers three floors of interactive exhibits, wildlife habitats, interpretive nature trails, Massachusetts' only digital planetarium, and a narrow-gauge railroad. The museum, located at 222 Harrington Way in Worcester, Mass., is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays 12 to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors, college students and children ages 3-18. Parking is free. For information, please call (508) 929-2700 or email info@ecotarium.org.
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