Astronaut Chris Cassidy Congratulates Maine Students on Literacy Activities

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Dec 16, 2014, 04:17 ET

HOUSTON, Dec. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain, Christopher Cassidy recently congratulated more than 600 elementary and middle students in Saco, Maine, for completing a national literacy program challenge, Lift Off to Literacy, sponsored by the International Reading Association.

Joining the students located at six separate Saco School Department campuses via video conference, Cassidy emphasized the critical role that enhanced literacy plays in their academic and future business careers. The kindergarten through eighth grade students were able to submit questions in advance as well as ask questions during the webcast, and covered topics including living in space and astronaut training requirements.

"It was fun for me to connect with so many students from my home state," said Cassidy, a native of York, Maine. "The students had some great questions, and I hope they apply their curiosity about space travel to one day becoming our next generation of explorers."

In September 2014, the International Reading Association kicked off the Lift Off to Literacy Campaign. Since that time, educators and students in the Saco schools completed 60 additional seconds of literacy work each day for 60 class days.

For more information on NASA astronaut appearances, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/about/speakers/astronautappearances.html

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SOURCE NASA