On January 28, 2017, Hampton students and their parents attended a private screening of the movie “Hidden Figures” at the AMC Hampton Towne Centre 24. Hampton's Healthy Families partnered with Elizabeth City State University's (ECSU) Pathways in Mathematics Education and Remote Sensing, a project funded through NASA Minority University Research and Education (MUREP), to cover the admission of 1,000 students and parents.

The screening was open to students in the School Age Program, a Healthy Families initiative that provides before- and after-school care to elementary and middle school students. “The event aligns with the initiatives that we value,” Chenequa Hayden of Healthy Families said. “It supports the community and family and opens up the conversation about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.”

The movie is based on the book “Hidden Figures," which was written by Hampton native Margot Lee Shetterly. The movie focuses on three real-life African-American women who worked for NASA as mathematicians and helped send the first American into space.

"This is especially important for the youth of Hampton to see since the historic events took place here at NASA Langley Research Center, right in their backyards." Dr. Linda Hayden, of ECSU said. This is not the first time Healthy Families has partnered with ECSU on STEM-related initiatives. An earlier partnership gave selected students the opportunity to attend summer camp at the Virginia Air and Space Center. Chenequa Hayden hopes that this event inspires students to achieve the unimaginable and realize the importance of STEM education.

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