Jupiter Ball raises funds for grade schools’ science education

State and local leaders donned ball gowns and bow ties Friday night for a purpose — to support science education in North Carolina.

The 11th annual Jupiter Ball, held in the Morehead Planetarium, helped raise funds to support science education in grade schools across the state.

The event, which raised $41,000 last year, helps fund the Jupiter Ball Scholarship Program, an initiative that provides scholarships to low-resource schools for student field trips and outreach visits.

“We’re trying to maximize the exposure for kids to science education,” said Missy Julian-Fox, director of the UNC Visitors’ Center and long-time attendee of the event.

“The need for more education in the sciences is a national issue.”

Last year, the money brought in from the event provided more than 2,700 students the opportunity to visit the planetarium, said Jupiter Ball Coordinator Terry Gunnels.

Though this year’s ball was held in a smaller space, only allowing for 160 guests compared to 240, Gunnels said sponsorship for the event was higher than last year.

She said she expects the organization to be able to provide more scholarships this year because of the increase in sponsorship, but she could not confirm how much money Friday’s event raised.

The Jupiter Ball has become a tradition, bringing together people from the community, University and business leaders for years.

“It has been a real mix of creative, talented people that have been coming for years or are new to the community,” Julian-Fox said.

“Jupiter Ball has made a place for itself in people’s hearts and on their calendars.”

Guests were greeted with music by violinist Allen Mele, champagne in the rotunda and fine dining on a terrace decorated with lights and flowers.

Charles Sanders, the former chairman and CEO of Glaxo Inc. and past chairman of the UNC Health Care System, was guest of honor at the event.

“He is an extraordinary scientist and administrator, and he has been a wonderful partner to Carolina and certainly to the Morehead Planetarium,” Julian-Fox said.

The event also gave guests the opportunity to tour the DESTINY traveling science laboratory.

The planetarium has operated the traveling bus since 2006, offering students across the state the opportunity to participate in lab experiments with science educators, Gunnels said.

She said the bus is just another articulation of the Jupiter Ball and Morehead Planetarium’s purpose — to spread science learning.

“Those of us right here often don’t experience or know of all these wondrous things,” Julian-Fox said.

“We wanted to have the bus so people can see and explore the major outreach of the planetarium.”

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