Elaine P. Ho from the NASA Office of STEM Engagement to Visit Seminole County Public Schools

Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS), a Space Florida Academy District, is proud to welcome Elaine P. Ho, Associate Administrator for the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA Headquarters in Washington, to Lyman High School for a firsthand look at how SCPS is connecting classroom learning with real-world career opportunities.
 
SCPS is committed to preparing students for success beyond graduation by providing meaningful opportunities to explore career pathways, gain hands-on experience, earn valuable industry certifications, and develop the skills sought by today’s employers. Through strong partnerships with industry and organizations such as Space Florida, SCPS is also helping build an educated, highly skilled workforce prepared to meet the growing needs of Central Florida and the state, particularly in high-demand industries such as aerospace, engineering, advanced manufacturing, and technology.
 
A 2025 recipient of a legislative appropriation supporting aerospace engineering, Lyman High School will showcase innovative programs spanning multiple engineering disciplines, as well as building trades, automotive technology, and mechatronics. During Ms. Ho’s visit, students and staff will demonstrate how Career & Technical Education (CTE) transforms classroom learning into authentic, hands-on experiences that allow students to discover their interests, develop industry-relevant skills, and envision themselves in careers that are shaping Florida’s future.
 
“The Space Florida Academy Program offers a new trajectory for students to explore careers in aerospace by breaking down legacy perceptions of what an aerospace career requires,” said Rob Long, president and CEO of Space Florida. “By bringing industry together with education, the program helps highlight these opportunities and ascertains what is truly needed now, and in the future, to meet workforce demands.”
 
By creating stronger connections among education, industry, and workforce needs, SCPS is helping students understand not only what they are learning, but where that learning can take them while developing the next generation of talent needed to fuel Florida’s growing aerospace economy.