[Download Flier] Get Ready for Family Science Festival 2007! Endeavour Astronaut Tracy Caldwell and actress & author Danica McKellar to attend event Los Angeles County Girl Scouts and their families (including Tag-alongs!) are invited to a fun-filled day of exploring the wonders of science and technology at Family Science Festival 2007 on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2007. Make it a family fun day or come as a troop! The Girl Scouts - Mt. Wilson Vista Council program will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Monrovia High School, 845 W. Colorado Blvd., Monrovia.  Travel from booth to booth with a Science Planet Passport to complete exciting activities and earn recognitions. Learn about careers in the science, technology, engineering and math fields (STEM) and meet industry professionals. An exciting line-up of exhibitors includes NASA/JPL (exhibit will include the Rover and robotics arms!), Caltech, Northrop Grumman (exhibit will include rocket launching activity), Sheriffs' Crime Lab, California Science Center, Xerox, Monrovia Police Department, Sierra Madre Search & Rescue, The 99’s (women aviators), Sidewalk Astronomers, Vector Control District, and more!

The inaugural event will feature Special Guest Speakers Endeavour Astronaut Tracy E. Caldwell, mission specialist, (the Endeavour crew recently completed the 119th space shuttle flight in August) and Danica McKellar, of the TV's The Wonder Years and The West Wing and author of Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail. Danica and Tracy will be on hand to meet girls and sign autographs. The first 150 Girl Scouts to register will receive a copy of Danica's book. Did you know that Danica published her own math proof? She also continues to prove herself as an accomplished actress on film, television and the stage, and now her passion for mathematics has blossomed her into a best-selling author. Best known as “Winnie Cooper” from The Wonder Years and “Elsie Snuffin” on The West Wing, in August 2007, Danica was named “Person of the Week” by ABC World News with Charles Gibson for her latest role: Author of her bestselling book Math Doesn't Suck.  Her groundbreaking book uses hip and entertaining examples to teach middle-school girls and their parents how to master many of the tough concepts that are introduced in middle school – the time when young girls begin to shy away from math.

Danica loves math and sharing that passion with young girls. We look forward to her being a part of this year's event! For more information about Danica McKellar, visit her Web site at www.danicamckellar.com. Mt. Wilson Vista Council is also pleased to host Endeavour Astronaut Tracy Caldwell.  Tracy was born in Arcadia, California! She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from California State University at Fullerton in 1993 and a Doctorate in Physical Chemistry from the University of California at Davis in 1997. Tracy's recent mission, STS-118 (August 8-21, 2007) was the 119th space shuttle flight, the 22nd flight to the International Space Station, and the 20th flight for Endeavour. During the mission, Endeavour's crew successfully added another truss segment, a new gyroscope and external spare parts platform to the International Space Station. A total of four spacewalks (EVAs) were performed by three crew members.  Traveling 5.3 million miles in space, the STS-118 mission was completed in 12 days, 17 hours, 55 minutes and 34 seconds. In addition to meeting these outstanding women, see the Mt. Wilson Vista Council Robotics Teams in action as they combine their skills in engineering and math with creativity and teamwork during a friendly scrimmage. The teams, which include Girl Scouts from throughout Los Angeles County, will compete in a regional competition in November! The cost of the event is $10 per child (Girl Scouts and Tag-alongs). Adults and children ages five and under are free. To register, visit the "Programs for All Girl Scouts" section of the Girl Scout Programs page at www.gsmwvc.org or use the GSMWVC Program Event Registration Form. Registration is encouraged by Oct. 25 (Registration will be accepted at the door until capacity is reached). Registering Tag-alongs Register your Girl Scout or Girl Troop online or via a GSMWVC Program Event Registration form and then send an e-mail to Karina Aguiniga, Council Registrar, at kaguiniga@gsmwvc.org with the following information: SUBJECT LINE: FSF Tag-alongs Name of Tag-along Troop Number (and Council) of the Girl Scout the Tag-along is associated with NOTE: Non-Mt. Wilson Vista Council Girl Scouts should use the GSMWVC Program Event Registration Form (Individual or Troop Form available in the Forms Library). The form can be mailed to Girl Scouts - Mt. Wilson Vista Council, 101 E. Wheeler Ave., Arcadia CA 91006 or faxed to (626) 447-0683. Attn: Family Science Festival. Click here to read about the council's registration process. Mt. Wilson Vista Council is pleased to host Family Science Festival 2007 in the beautiful foothill community of Monrovia, which is home to a growing concentration of high-tech businesses. Both large and start-up high-tech, bio-tech and nano-tech firms have located along Monrovia's East Huntington Drive technology corridor, putting the community at the core of the San Gabriel Valley's technology-based industries. For more information about the Family Science Festival, contact Terese Miller at (626) 445-7771, ext. 318 or tmiller@gsmwvc.org. Media inquiries can be directed to Mary Broomfield, (626) 445-7771, ext. 313, mbroomfield@gsmwvc.org.   To read featured news stories that have appeared on the Homepage in past weeks, click here.