Media are invited as Johnson Space Center Director General Jefferson D. Howell, Jr. welcomes and ceremoniously signs agreements with representatives from JSC’s NASA Explorer School Program organizations.

The ceremony will take place at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2003 at Johnson Space Center.
Five educational teams were chosen this spring as JSC’s NASA Explorer School participants. They represent the following schools or school districts within JSC’s eight-state education region:

  • Fort Worth Independent School District, Texas (three-school partnership: Stripling Middle School, Monnig Middle School and Dunbar Sixth Grade Center)
  • Vista Middle School
  • Las Cruces, N.M.
  • Tohajiilee Community School
  • Eastern Navajo Agency, Tohajiilee Reservation, N.M.
  • Solen-Cannonball School District
  • Solen, N.D., Standing Rock Indian Reservation
  • Pender Public School
  • Pender, Neb.

NASA’s Explorer School Program is a new initiative and commitment between NASA and each school over the next three years to bring exciting learning opportunities to educators, students, and their families.

Media wishing to attend the ceremony may call the JSC Newsroom at 281-483-5111 by noon, Monday, July 21 for credential arrangements.

NASA EXPLORER SCHOOL PROGRAM BACKGROUNDER

The NASA Explorer Schools Program (NES) provides a unique relationship between schools and the agency to "inspire the next generation of explorers." The program is designed to provide customized, extended professional development for educators. It will also provide authentic, NASA mathematics and science experiences for students and their families.

Teams were selected this spring from 430 applicant teams to begin the journey. The teams will have a week of intensive training at one of NASA’s 10 Field Centers in July. Each team consists of 3 or 4 science, mathematics, or technology educators representing grades 5-8, and an administrator. The teams will develop and implement action plans to address local needs in science, mathematics, or technology education for the next three years.

Selected educator/administrator teams will work with NASA specialists to integrate agency science, mathematics, and technology content into their curriculum through problem-solving activities and to incorporate challenges into their mathematics and science curriculum. Students will have opportunities to apply science, mathematics and technology to real-world issues and problems and to learn about the vast array of career options at NASA. Students and their families will be the focus of interactive local and on-line learning experiences.

For more information about NASA on the Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov

For more information about NASA Explorer Schools Program, visit: http://explorerschools.nasa.gov

For more information about NASA’s Teaching From Space Program, visit: http://education.jsc.nasa.gov/educators/tfsp.htm

For more information about NASA Education programs, visit:
http://education.nasa.gov