Over a two-week semester break, Jan.23 – Feb.8, Space Camp Türkiye featured a 5-Day Space Camp with Robotics, regular 5-Day Space Camp, Outer Space Adventure and Parent Child Program.
A special graduation ceremony was held on Feb. 6 for graduates of the second 5-day Space Camp which included 44 kids sponsored by Boeing Türkiye.
Throughout the programs, students learned about space research, conducted simulated space shuttle missions, experienced astronaut simulators and developed new friendships. For 14 year-old Mustafa Sağlam of Konya it was a dream come true. “My friends and I didn’t even realize how the time passed. I believe the activities we had helped me to improve my communication skills and the simulators and Space Shuttle Discovery were just awesome. I am really thankful to Boeing and Space Camp Türkiye for this opportunity”.
Mr. Greg Pepin, President of Boeing Türkiye and a staunch supporter of Space Camp Türkiye since its inception in 2000, prepared a special tribute to the new graduates. Following are his remarks:
"To Space Camp graduates,
First of all, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to all the students, especially the 44 Boeing sponsored students, who are graduating today from Space Camp with a great experience and well deserved accomplishment. Children have come from all over Türkiye to participate in this week long event. The students of;
Bolu İnkilap Primary School in Bolu,
Beyköy Primary School in Düzce,
Karaelmas Primary School in Bingöl,
Dumlupnar Primary School,
Yeşilkent Primary School,
MEV Gökkuşağı Primary School,
Kıymet Necip Tesal Primary School
Hüseyin Güllü Ceylan Primary School in Ankara
Göl Primary School in Samsun,
Konaklı Gazi Primary School in Antalya,
Merkez Atatürk Primary School in Mardin,
Atatürk Primary School in Ordu,
Gazi Paşa İlköğretim Okulu in Şanlıurfa,
Yıldırım Beyazıt Primary School in Eskişehir,
Yeşilırmak Primary School in Tokat,
Kazım Karabekir Paşa Primary School in Kars,
Alaybeyli Primary School in Kayseri,
Mustafa Bülbül Primary School in Konya,
İsmail Taner Primary School in Çanakkale,
Urla Zeytinalanı Primary School
Perihan M. Celalettin Demirgüreş Primary School in İzmir
have brought with them particular views and living experiences which they have shared with one another. All the geographical and cultural elements brought by students from all over Türkiye came together and formed a mosaic here. Although these children come from many diverse parts of Türkiye, they have one commonality, their love of space and aviation.
What better environment than Space Camp to work together as team and share this love of space and aviation together. They experience, implement and live the latest technology. With these experiences and knowledge gained here, their aims go up and perspectives get broader.
As Türkiye’s great leader, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said; “The future is in the skies” so is it in Turkish youth. These children graduating today from Space Camp are indeed Türkiye’s and the world’s future and Boeing is pleased to contribute to their learning and love of aviation and to help them broaden their perspective. Who knows possibly among the students today is a future pilot or even a future Boeing engineer. The future is in front of these students and these students are our children. We should challenge them to boldly move into that future and improve upon it for the sake of their children’s future.
Since 2001, Boeing, one of the founding sponsors of Space Camp, sponsored 184 students to attend this camp, contributing to the future of Türkiye and the world. We will continue our support. We hope this will be a model for all other companies, organizations and even individuals. We also hope that’s projects contributing to the children who are the guarantee of our future will increase much more. Please don’t forget that the best and the most efficient investment is the one made in our children and their education in the long run.
It is a pleasure for Boeing to support Space Camp and it is a pleasure to support children from all over Türkiye to be able to participate in Space Camp. I wish you all a bright future”
