Journey through the Universe is a national educational initiative led by The Carl Sagan Center for Earth and Space Science Education.  Using the exciting fields of human space flight, and the Earth and space sciences, Journey through the Universe engages communities in sustained science, math, and technology education.  The program takes entire communities— students, teachers, and families—to the frontier.  Journey through the Universe is a celebration of human exploration, how we have come to know what we know about the universe, and the joys of learning.

The Sagan Center provides diverse national resources to Journey through the Universe communities, including local programming for students and families, K-12 curriculum support materials, K-12 educator training, and ongoing support from Sagan Center scientists and educators in both content and pedagogical approaches in the classroom.  The communities integrate these resources into their existing science, mathematics, and technology education programming in   both formal and informal science education venues. The programming that results from this partnership is meant to reflect the strengths and capabilities of the community, and provide access to resources that would otherwise be unavailable. 

Hilo, Hawaii is currently one of 10 communities around the nation that are designated Journey through the Universe sites.

The North Hilo/Laupahoehoe/Waiakea Complex area located on the island of Hawai’i joined the Journey through the Universe program in June 2004.  There is a genuine desire among the scientists and professionals associated with astronomy to participate with Hilo schools.  Local educators and students desire to share in the excitement of astronomy.  Journey through the Universe Week can bring the two together. The joint partnership will: 

• Heighten awareness of science in classrooms.
• Help students meet the Hawai’i Content and Performance Standards and national standards.
• Provide rigor, relevance and relationships in curriculum, instruction and assessment.
• Tap into the rich resources that are the Hilo community.
• Improve teaching staff in content fields.  Professional development, in-service training sessions, networking and articulation amongst educators, scientists, and community people will help improve teaching.
• Educate parents and the community in the space science enterprise.

Programming provided to each community includes a weeklong celebration of learning—Journey through the Universe Week—conducted by a National Team of researchers and engineers reflecting organizations from across the NASA communities.  During Journey Week:

Two to four Family Science Nights are held, each for 300-2,000 parents and their children. These programs designed for family learning are coupled to the curriculum, providing parents a window on the education of their children, and fostering educational discussions within the family.

A National Team of researchers and engineers working on the frontier conduct Classroom Visits for 4,000-8,000 K-12 students.  The researchers are gifted at communicating their passion for research and science to audience of all ages, providing students a personal interaction with explorers working on the space frontier, and providing a window on the lives of researchers and the process of science.