Engineering students at High School East take part in the NASA HUNCH Design and Prototyping program. Much of their work is supported by funding from the New York State Space Grant Consortium. Half Hollow Hills is proud to be one of only two K-12 affiliate members in NY State.

NASA HUNCH (High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware) is a nationally recognized workforce development program with a 23-year legacy of preparing the next generation of innovators and leaders.

Through immersive Workforce project-based learning, high school students gain hands-on experience by designing and fabricating real-world products that are valued and utilized by NASA engineers and astronauts.

NASA HUNCH empowers students to develop essential 21st-century skills—such as critical thinking, collaboration, and technical expertise—by tackling authentic challenges sourced directly from NASA’s ongoing missions.

Students work side-by-side with NASA professionals, contributing to solutions for the International Space Station (ISS) and supporting NASA’s bold Moon to Mars Initiative, ensuring their work has a direct impact on the future of space exploration.

With a strong historical link to the ISS and a forward-looking focus on Artemis and Moon to Mars, NASA HUNCH offers students a unique opportunity to launch their careers while making meaningful contributions to NASA’s most ambitious projects.

Half Hollow Hills is proud to have had multiple teams selected as finalists to present their work to NASA astronauts on the floor of the Saturn V Rocket room at Johnson Space Center.