(Photo courtesy of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)
On Saturday, April 18, 2026, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO) teamed up to celebrate the Month of the Military Child with an exciting global event: Back to the Moon: The Artemis Mission.
2026 marks the 5th year of ERAU and USAGSO providing virtual and in-person Month of the Military Child events as a collaborative effort. Nearly 400 children participated in this year’s event, including those who joined virtually and those who attended in-person watch parties held at Embry-Riddle campus locations in Europe and the Pacific. During the watch parties held at Aviano, Kadena, Lakenheath, Osan, Spangdahlem, Vogelweh and Wiesbaden, students participated in engaging hands-on activities, like tasting and describing MRE food products, making “stretchy universe” slime, learning the phases of the moon with Oreo cookies, and even building a bubble powered rocket. Other ERAU campuses, like Misawa and Yokota, partnered with their base communities and youth centers to hold interactive STEM-based activities for youth participants, such as designing wooden aircraft, and more, in support of military child STEM engagement and learning.
Dr. Amaya Davis, a US Navy Veteran, aerospace engineer, and NASA Solar System Ambassador, led the virtual session, captivating students with her knowledge and enthusiasm. Dr. Davis showcased the Artemis II Mission: Humanity’s Return to the Moon, which successfully launched on April 1, 2026, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
(Photo courtesy of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)
Participants were able to learn about deep space exploration systems, NASA’s largest rocket ever built, its Mascot, Rise, and how four astronauts successfully completed a 10-day space Mission in the Orion Spacecraft. The program provided an unforgettable educational experience that inspired curiosity and excitement for STEM fields among military children worldwide.
A special thanks goes to our outstanding partner at USAGSO, Taryn Rimland, and her team for their unwavering collaboration and support. We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to the communities at each watch party location for their active and enthusiastic participation, which contributed significantly to the success of this event. In addition, we express our sincerest gratitude to our base partners, including the Kadena Civil Air Patrol, and the Osan and Spangdahlem base libraries and their staff, for their collaborative efforts to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders.
For those who missed the live session, the event recording is now available to watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CInAbVNM6f4
ERAU and USAGSO are proud to continue creating opportunities for military families to connect, learn, and celebrate the resilience of military children around the world.
