Free Movie Screening of Hidden Figures for Lucas Families

Lucas Elementary Families

Free Movie Screening of Hidden Figures

Thanks to a generous donation from a former Lucas Elementary parent 

and the Lucas Elementary PTO

The Movie: Hidden Figures is based on the inspiring true story of three brilliant African-American women who worked at NASA in the 1950s and '60s as "human computers" -- making calculations and contributions that helped launch the manned spaceflight program. Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer), Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), and Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) were engineers and computers at NASA at a time when both women and African Americans were still widely discriminated against, particularly in segregationist Virginia. where NASA's Langley Research Center is based. The film also offers a realistic look at the racial tensions of the Civil Rights era (segregated bathrooms, libraries, schools, facilities), and audiences will learn a lot about these pioneering women and what they had to overcome to make their mark at NASA. They're excellent role models, and their story is full of positive messages and themes, including integrity, perseverance, teamwork, and communication. (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/hidden-figures)

The movie is rated PG
(we are targeting 3^rd – 6^th grade families as this is most age appropriate for them though parents know what little siblings can handle)

When: Monday January 16^th (Martin Luther King Jr Holiday)

Time: 1:00 pm

Where: Sycamore Mall Theater

Who: Current Lucas Families (children must be accompanied by an adult)

Cost: Free Admission (up to 120 people)

ask for the Lucas Elementary table for entry to the movie

Here is some additional information from Lucas ELP teacher Dawn BarbouRoske: The timing is also kismet; not only is it released in January for a nod to MLK, but Jan. 4th, NASA just announced that among the crew for the next February 2018 International Space Station Mission will be Jeanette Epps, first African American space station crew member. Also, John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth recently died AND Katherine Johnson, who calculated the trajectory for NASA's first orbit, received the 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Here's some more info:

Katherine Johnson's amazing contributions  https://www.nasa.gov/feature/katherine-johnson-the-girl-who-loved-to-count
White House release https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/11/25/honoring-nasas-katherine-johnson-stem-pioneer
White House Women in STEM website https://www.whitehouse.gov/women-in-stem
Biographical info on the actual women who inspired the movie http://www.biography.com/news/hidden-figures-movie-real-women
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-assigns-upcoming-space-station-crew-members
Jeanette Epps Info: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/epps-jj.pdf