Slice of History - Eliot Middle School Was Head Over Heels for JPL

In April 1988, sixth through eighth graders from Eliot Middle School in Pasadena performed a talent show on the steps of Building 180 in appreciation of JPL’s involvement in LADWP’s “Adopt-a-School” program. Among the dancers, musicians, speakers, and double-Dutch jump rope performances, was the talented tumbler pictured above — impressing JPLers with their high-flying acrobatics.

The program, administered by the JPL Director's Advisory Council for Women and the Lab's Public Affairs Division, was meant to encourage an exchange of ideas, expertise, materials, and human resources between JPL and Eliot's students and educators.

JPLers gave guest lectures throughout the school year, served as advisers on students’ science projects, and held assemblies at the school to explain NASA/JPL missions. JPL loaned education resources to the schools, including audio/visual materials, exhibits, and spacecraft models, and teachers and students were also invited to JPL for special Laboratory programs, including career fairs, science seminars, workshops, and lectures. In 1999, the Lab honored straight-A students and science fair award winners from EMS at a banquet in von Karman Auditorium.

JPL’s long-standing tradition of engaging local schools continues to this day with programs, events, and countless individual and group engagements on the part of JPL’s engineers and scientists. CL#24-6246

The content presented here should be viewed in the context of the time period. Our intent is to present the history of JPL in a factual manner that uses primary resources and historical context. We recognize that some information or images do not reflect the current values, policies, and mission of JPL.