Honeywell hosted 237 students at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) in Huntsville, Alabama, for the annual Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy (HLCA). A selected cohort of 26 students from prominent Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, and Madurai, were part of the group that had students from 45 countries and 29 U.S. states and territories, including children of Honeywell employees and students from Charlotte Mecklenburg County Schools who part of the college readiness program at non-profit Carolina Youth Coalition.
The two weeklong programs – October 15-20 and October 22-27, 2023 – encourage high school students ages 16 through 18 to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers through hands-on activities in coding, computer science, leadership and communication skills, and astronautics.
“For 13 years, Honeywell has sponsored students from around the world to travel to Space Camp and participate in real-world STEM experiences, helping to build their technical, collaborative, and communication skills,” said Jayme Meyer, Honeywell’s vice president of communications. “Today, the 30 fastest-growing occupations globally are in STEM, so Honeywell is proud to partner with the USSRC to empower the next generation of innovators and leaders.”
Since the program was founded in 2010, Honeywell has sponsored more than 3,000 students to attend Space Camp. Participants develop STEM leadership skills through numerous team-building challenges such as building, coding, and testing rockets; simulated astronaut training; shuttle missions; and a low-gravity moonwalk. Students also use computational thinking and computer science to deepen their digital skills.
“We welcome the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center each year, with hundreds of diverse students joining us at Space Camp to share in our love of space, science, technology, and more,” said Dr. Kimberly Robinson, CEO, USSRC. “Through the immersive program, students learn skills and form relationships that will serve them in their lives ahead as they tackle new and unique challenges.”
“It’s great to see young minds from all corners of India come together for this exciting journey. We’re committed to fostering STEM education in India and hope to inspire students as they are the future innovators who will shape the technology landscape of our nation”, said Ashish Modi, President, Honeywell India.
Students are selected through a rigorous application and review process based on academic achievement and community involvement. Honeywell and its employees help fund the scholarships, which cover the cost of tuition, meals, accommodations, and program materials.
“Participating in the Honeywell Leadership Challenge Academy was a transformative experience. It opened doors to the vast realm of science and technology, expanding my horizons. It was a remarkable journey that has set the stage for my future endeavors in the field”, said Sanegha Sakhare, one of the Indian students.
 in Huntsville, Alabama, for the annual Honeywell Leadership Challenge){kind=link}