Introduction of Dr. Harris (If Dr. Harris Is Attending Or Skyping In)

Rock Star Media Day Remarks

Introduction of Dr. Harris (if Dr. Harris is attending or Skyping in)

Thank you for the kind introduction. Before I tell you about myself and the fun activity we will be doing today, I’d like to introduce the founder of this amazing camp. I’m sure by now you have heard he is an astronaut, but did you know that while he was in space he traveled more than seven million miles?!?! In addition to being an astronaut, he is also a medical doctor and a businessman. Please help me welcome, Dr. Bernard Harris Jr.

Dr. Harris delivers remarks.

ExxonMobil speaker’s remarks

My name is ______and I am a (Insert Title)______with ExxonMobil.

I am so excited to be here today. I always enjoy the opportunity to talk with students who share my love of math and science. I wish I would have had the chance to go to a camp like the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science camp when I was a kid.

So is everyone enjoying their time so far? (Encourage response)

What kind of activities have you been working on? (Encourage response)

of 5 Wow, I am impressed. You all have definitely been busy participating in some awesome activities, many of which are similar to what I do as an engineer (include if applicable).

Well, one of the reasons I am here to talk to you is because it’s cool to learn about new things especially when it comes to math and science.

When I was your age, math and science were my favorites. Really! And I realized that I wanted to keep studying those subjects and maybe use it in my career.

So let me ask you a question. How many of YOU like math and science? (Encourage response)

I’m here to tell you that your interest in these subjects will make lots of things possible for you. As you’ll learn during your time here, there are lots of careers and opportunities that will become available to you if you pursue math and science education. The sky is your limit!

Let me ask you another question. How many of you have a smart phone? iPad or tablet? Xbox? Anybody lucky enough to have a hoverboard?? Those inventions didn’t just happen by themselves. They were created by someone who was once a kid and didn’t give up when things got a little challenging.

Let me tell you some astounding information.

of 5 Many top college degrees today didn’t exist just ten years ago.

Things like biomedical engineering:

– Where you participate alongside a doctor in the operating room

–Homeland Security where scientists understand hazardous chemicals and how they impact humans

–Robotics

-where you learn how to design and use robots for all kinds of things

Video game design – I’m sure you can all understand that one!! Yes, math and science are absolutely necessary to create new gaming apps!

So what does this mean to someone in middle school like you? It means having math and science skills will be important to your future. Because your teachers are preparing you by helping you strengthen math and science skills for jobs that don’t exist, to solve problems we don’t even know about, using technology that hasn’t been invented yet. But one thing will remain the same- strong math and science ability will be needed for all of the future high-tech jobs.

If you don’t hear anything else I say today, hear this: you are special. And you should feel good about the fact that you enjoy learning and enjoy math and science. In fact, you should feel fantastic!

You have to believe in yourself – you have to believe with all your heart -- before you can share your special talents with the world. So go for it. You are very cool and very special.

of 5 You are tough and you don’t quit just because something is hard. Push yourself and make it happen! And I cannot wait to see what you do with your lives.

By attending this camp, each of you has made a terrific start in math and science, so just stay with it. If you continue to do well in school, there will be many rewards for you in the future. You will become the thinkers, inventors, and problem solvers of tomorrow.

That’s because there is a VERY high demand for people who can fill jobs in science, technology, engineering and math fields. It’s predicted that 8 of the 10 top jobs in the next decade will require a good grasp of math and science. I can think of so many cool things to invent. What about a cell phone that can turn on your microwave? What about a car that drives itself? Actually, engineers at Google have developed driverless cars and we’ve all heard about Drones! Engineering is one of the most creative jobs there is! (Encourage kids to come up with ideas too)

And, not only will you be able to find a great job with strong math and science skills, you will make good money, too. But probably the best thing about focusing your education on these subjects is that you will be doing something you love and each day you will be helping to make a difference in the world.

That’s how I feel every day I go into work. I love my job.

{DESCRIBE YOUR JOB AND ADD ANY INTERESTING FACTS OR THINGS YOU GET TO DO.}

of 5 In a few minutes we will be conducting an experiment called the “Mars Lander Challenge.” During this activity, you will build a spacecraft using many of the same skills I need to do my job such as critical thinking, creativity and problem solving. It also involves a bit of engineering and the opportunity to work in teams to create the best possible product, just like we do at ExxonMobil.

But before we start on the experiment let me give you a few more bits of advice. College may seem far away to you now, but it’s important to think about it today and start planning how you will get there.

There are many people who want to help you along your path toward college and a career. So don’t ever be afraid to ask for help. After all, it’s a sign of a good scientist, technologist, engineer and mathematician to ask questions!

Thank you for listening to me today. Now, who’s ready to design a spacecraft?

BEGIN PowerPoint Presentation using notes at the bottom of the slides; students should have instruction sheets to reference

STOP AT GOALS & OBJECTIVES SLIDE AND INVITE THE CAMP DIRECTOR TO EXPLAIN THE REST OF THE ACTIVITY!!!

AFTER COMPETITION

Decide if you or camp director will conduct post-experiment discussion; utilize the remaining PowerPoint presentation slides.