Xploration Station, Fox TV Stations’ three-hour block of STEM programming for teens and their families, has announced its first #StudentExplorer Contest, giving high school and college students across the U.S. the chance to explore the world with Philippe Cousteau Jr., grandson of legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau and host of the Xploration Station series Xploration Awesome Planet. The contest winner will accompany Cousteau on an underwater voyage to locate and study whale sharks off the coast of Mexico. Students can apply by posting video entries to the Xploration Station Facebook page, which will accept submissions until Sunday, April 23.
“This is a unique opportunity to engage students in a real world experience that promotes both STEM and ocean conservation,” said Steve Rotfeld, president of Steve Rotfeld Productions, which produces all six series that compose the Xploration Station block. “We believe that contests like this can inspire those interested in pursuing careers in science.”
Students between 16 and 22 years old can apply by posting a video of up to three minutes long to the Xploration Station Facebook page. The video should explain why it is important to explore and understand how the planet works, how the underwater expedition would make them better explorers and citizens of Earth, and why they should be selected as the first ever #StudentExplorer. The winner will be announced on Facebook shortly after the April 23 deadline.
This is the third consecutive year Xploration Station has given young people enthusiastic about science and exploration the chance to pursue their interests through a hands-on learning experience. In previous years, the #StudentAstronaut Contest, which debuted during Xploration Station’s premiere season, allowed contest winners to train like an astronaut alongside Xploration Outer Space host Emily Calendrelli, a Harvard scholar and former NASA scientist.
Xploration Station comprises six series in total: Cousteau’s Xploration Awesome Planet, Calandrelli’s Xploration Outer Space, artist and futurist Chuck Pell’s Xploration Earth 2050, Youtube star Steve Spangler’s DIY Sci, marine biologist Danni Washington’s Nature Knows Best, and Weird but True, hosted by Charlie and Kirby Engleman, produced in partnership with Nat Geo Kids.
Many of these series were recently nominated for this year’s Daytime Emmy Awards, and Fox TV Stations recently extended Xploration Station’s run through 2020. The entire block airs in more than 100 million homes nationwide on Saturday mornings and is available to stream on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Yahoo View, and Roku.
