Today, NASA will launch the application season
for its NASA Explorer Schools (NES) Program. Schools
from across the country are eligible to apply online
for an opportunity to partner with NASA in a program
designed to bring engaging mathematics, science and
technology learning to educators, students and
families.
The NES Program, which began in June and is
sponsored by NASA in collaboration with the National
Science Teachers Association (NSTA), is one of four
major new education initiatives at the agency. NES
establishes a three-year partnership between NASA
and 50 NASA Explorer Schools teams, consisting of
teachers and education administrators from diverse
communities nationwide.
During the commitment period, NASA will invite teams
“back to school” at NASA Centers each summer in an
effort to spark innovative science and mathematics
instruction aimed at students in grades 4 through 9.
While partnered with NASA, NES teams will acquire
throughout the school year new teaching resources
and technology tools using NASA’s unique content,
experts and other resources — to make learning
science, mathematics and technology more exciting to
students.
The 50 NES school teams selected in 2003 represent
30 states. Eighty percent of the schools are located
in high-poverty areas, with seventy-five percent
representing predominantly minority communities.
Fifty-eight percent of the competitively selected
school teams are located in both high-poverty and
high-minority districts.
“NASA is committed as never before to inspire the
next generation of explorers. We believe that by
helping to make learning science and math more fun,
we can take advantage of their natural curiosities
and spark prolonged learning,” remarks Dr. Adena
Williams Loston, NASA Associate Administrator for
Education. “The NASA Explorer Schools Program allows
us to positively and uniquely impact science and
math instruction in the nation’s classrooms. . .as
only NASA can. In doing so, this education program
and others also provide NASA compelling
opportunities to continue the legacies of the
Columbia and Challenger crews.”
NES schools receive grants of up to $10,000 for
technology tools that support science and
mathematics curricula in the classroom. The deadline
for submission of applications for the NES Program
is January 30, 2004.
For access to NES applications and information, and
to view the list of NASA’s first 50 Explorer
Schools, visit:
http://explorerschools.nasa.gov
For information about NASA Education programs,
visit:
For information about NSTA, visit:
