Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe TORTILLAS IN SPACE The Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) and NASA's Space Place Program have teamed up to sponsor "Power Up with Tortillas," a national contest to teach students how to eat a healthy diet and have fun in the process. Advertisement The "Power Up" contest is aimed at teaching children how energy is necessary to keep things moving in everything from the space shuttle to humans. Participants creatively use a tortilla either in a recipe or to "build" a spacecraft. First, second and third place winners in both categories will each win $4,000, $2,000 or $1,000 U.S. savings bonds courtesy of TIA. The first 1,000 entrants will also receive a set of Space Place collectible cards. The Space Place is a NASA-sponsored nationwide space and space science education initiative. The program encourages young people to participate in cross-curriculum space science activities that provide hands-on learning opportunities through a number of national organizations dedicated to the education and well being of children and youth. The Space Place program provides space science and technology-related activities and materials to its national partners -- Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YWCA, International Technology Education Association, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Civil Air Patrol, and the 4-H Aerospace Education Program. Advertisement According to TIA officials, tortillas are a long-time favorite food among astronauts due to the fact that they are easily transported into space, do not crumble in zero gravity and are a good source of nutrition. (Web site: tortilla-info.com)
