Greenville

Greenville School to be Named After NASA, ‘Hidden Figures' Mathematician

A new elementary school in Greenville is expected to be named after a woman immortalized in the movie "Hidden Figures." 

Community members voted on the name "Katherine G. Johnson STEM Academy" through an online survey, the Herald Banner reported.

The school board will take a vote on Tuesday to formally decide on the name.

Johnson was NASA mathematician. She worked on calculating trajectories and emergency back-up return paths for space flights.

Other finalists for the school name included Sharon "Christa" McAuliffe, a social studies teacher killed on the Challenger space shuttle, and Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut to fly into space, the report said.

The new K-5th grade school is schedule to open in the fall.

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