The NASA Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program (NSHARP) celebrated
25 years of selecting high-achieving students to serve as apprentices in a
variety of NASA professions.
Students, representing nearly every state, Puerto Rico and American Samoa have
participated in the education program. Created in 1980, NSHARP is designed to
attract and increase participation among under represented students in science,
technology, engineering or mathematics.
The apprenticeship runs approximately eight weeks during the summer. It engages
students in research opportunities and reinforces educational excellence. The
program also seeks to enrich and inspire students by promoting interaction within
their academic, workplace and social environments. The program also includes an
hourly stipend for students.
“NASA is committed to inspiring the next generation of explorers,” said NASA
SHARP Program Manager Deborah Glasco. “NASA SHARP is a direct extension of this
commitment dedicated to academically and professionally motivating a diverse
group of youth that may one day play a vital role in fulfilling the Vision for
Space Exploration,” she said.
All 10 NASA centers and several universities participate in NSHARP. There’s a
commuter component for students residing within a 50-mile radius of a NASA
center, and a residential component for those living on a participating
university campus.
Administered by Modern Technology Systems Inc., Riverdale, Md., NSHARP operated
from June 1 to August 20, 2004. Applications for 2005 are available via the
Internet and must be submitted by February 14, 2005. To view the application on
the Web, visit:
For information about education programs on the Web, visit:
http://www.education.nasa.gov
