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STEUBENVILLE -- Students in Jefferson County schools will get a chance to view "the final frontier" when the Curiosity Dome returns to area schools.
The Jefferson County Educational Service Center's Quest for Success program is sponsoring the dome, a science education program based in Grand Rapids, Mich., that began in 2008 and travels to schools around the country.
Students in grades preK-12 will gather inside a 15-foot-tall portable planetarium to view interactive programs narrated by celebrities.
This year the dome is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Developed by Rice University and the Houston Museum of Natural Science and with the support of NASA, officials say "each educational program is designed to focus on science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics with an extremely broad range of visual topics presented in a fun and creative manner."
The theater will make its first stop at the School of Bright Promise on Wednesday to hold viewings for 80 special needs pupils. The dome will then travel to Toronto, where 400 students in grades preK-12 at Karaffa Elementary on Thursday and Toronto High School on Oct. 18 will get to take part.
About 300 Harding Middle School students will enjoy shows on Oct. 22 before the theater moves on Edison Junior High School on Oct. 23 to benefit 646 students. The program ends its run at Buckeye Local Junior High School on Oct. 24 where 270 seventh- and eighth-graders will take part.
Martariesa Fiala, community and family coordinator for the Quest for Success program, said Quest has sponsored the event for the past three years and it has been well-received by students and teachers both.
"The students love it and the teachers enjoy this interactive aspect as part of their lesson," said Fiala.
Quest for Success, which operates under the JCESC, is funded through a 21st Century Grant from the Ohio Department of Education.
Programs are available before and after school at the Quest Center located at 2550 Cherry Ave. in Steubenville for county students in grades five through eight.
Sessions are held from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday in conjunction with Coleman Professional Services, the Franciscan University of Steubenville and Brightway Center in Smithfield. The purpose is to increase opportunities for students to succeed in literacy, mathematics, social development, family support and community involvement.
For information about Quest for Success programs, call (740) 283-3347.