Goddard Hosts Northeast Explorer School Teams

"You are our national treasure," Dr. Adena Williams Loston, NASA Associate Administrator for Education, told representatives of NASA Explorer Schools during a welcome address, July 14 at Goddard. This new NASA initiative entitled "Back To School" is designed to provide team members mission-based programs, content, education support and cutting-edge science unique to NASA.

	Bill Fairhurst of Fall River Middle School, Mass. and Valyncia Lindsey of Anne Beers Elementary School, Washington, confer on a class assignment.

During the week of July 13-18, Goddard hosted five teams comprised of five representatives from schools selected to participate in this "Back To School" initiative. Selected by NASA to represent the northeast region of the United States as a NASA Explorer School is: Anne Beers Elementary School, Washington; Central Park Middle School, Schenectady, N.Y.; Matthew J. Kuss Middle School, Fall River, Mass.; North Country Union Junior High School, Derby, Vt.; and Sheridan Communications and Technology Middle School, New Haven, Conn.

Throughout the six days of training, various Goddard scientists, engineers and members of Goddard's education office exposed the educators and administrators to more than 45 hours of classroom training in math, science and technology. The training days included presentations by members of the Goddard research community, computer lab instruction, problem solving, discussions and demonstrations. Each hour was designed to educate and inspire the educators and administrators who will be charged to inspire as well as educate our next generation of potential explorers.

NASA Associate Administrator for Education, Dr. Adena Loston welcomes Explorer School team members to the program.

"NASA's mission is to inspire the next generation of explorers by helping to make learning science and math more fun," said Dr. Loston. "The NASA Explorer Schools Program will provide us with yet another promising avenue to positively and uniquely impact science and math instruction in the Nation's classrooms…as only NASA can," stated Dr. Loston.

NASA's Explorer Schools Program will be sending other teams across the country to other NASA centers. The intent is to assist each Explorer School representative in acquiring new techniques, teaching resources and technology tools to assist them in inspiring their students in the study of math and sciences.

The new initiative, sponsored by the NASA Education Enterprise in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association, establishes a three-year partnership between NASA and 50 NASA Explorer School teams, consisting of teachers and education administrators from diverse communities across the country. From a pool of 430 applications NASA selected the top 50 schools from an argurious selection process.

	Anne Beers Elementary School team members (1st row) Stephanie Harris, Karen Moore, (2nd row) Anthony Fears, Valyncia Lindsey and Constance Fernandez.

At the conclusion of their week of training, these 25 participants are charged to return to their prospective location and initiate a new era at their school in partnership with NASA. The goal is to give students the opportunity to apply science, mathematics and technology to real-world issues and problems. Students are to be given the opportunity to learn about the vast array of career options at NASA. Representatives from Goddard will travel during the year to these various locations to continue to inspire these 25 as they inspire the next generation with the assistance the of NASA.