Planetarium receives $10,000 grant to provide field trips for K-12 students

Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024 • Greg Pederson :

The UTA Planetarium hosts around 30,000 K-12 students from schools around D-FW each year.

The UTA Planetarium has received a $10,000 grant from H-E-B Tournament of Champions Charitable Trust (H-E-B TOC) to cover the cost of field trips to Planetarium shows for K-12 schools with significant numbers of economically disadvantaged students.

The grant is the fourth provided by H-E-B TOC to the Planetarium to help defray the cost of field trips for area schools and will allow hundreds of students an opportunity to visit the UTA campus and see a Planetarium show. The first grant came during the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2021 and helped the Planetarium provide virtual field trips to K-12 students.

“We are delighted to receive this latest grant from H-E-B Tournament of Champions Charitable Trust and to continue this partnership which makes it possible for students to enjoy a visit to the Planetarium, regardless of economic status,” said Levent Gurdemir, UTA Planetarium director. “Through the generosity of H-E-B TOC, hundreds of students have been able to learn about space and the universe through our Planetarium shows and we’re very pleased this new grant will allow many more to have that same experience.”

For more than 35 years, H-E-B TOC has invested over $100 million in nonprofit organizations focused on the needs of children and families throughout the state.

The Planetarium, which features a 60-foot dome projection surface, received a technology upgrade in 2023 and is equipped with a Digistar 7 projection system, the most advanced technology commercially available to planetariums. The facility provides educational entertainment to nearly 50,000 visitors each year, including close to 30,000 students from K-12 schools around the D-FW Metroplex.

Digistar 7 uses six laser projectors for 360-degree ultra-bright high-resolution views. It features 3D models and provides universities and planetariums worldwide with instant real-time access to an extensive cloud of astronomy and science databases from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including the latest planetarium shows.

The Digistar 7 system was made possible through a $50,000 donation from Arlington’s Women Inspiring Philanthropy (WIP). The gift was matched through the University of Texas System’s Library, Equipment, Repair and Rehabilitation Budget. WIP’s mission is to benefit Arlington residents by funding projects that empower local organizations to deepen the impact of their services and programs.

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