Elementary school teachers are learning how to jumpstart their students’ interest in
science and math at an early age by attending a NASA Educational Workshop through July 20,
2002, at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Twenty-five teachers, from 16 states and a Department of Defense school in Korea, are
participating in the workshop. The educators teach the 5th through 8th grades.

“Our role is to give these teachers valuable information, experiences and activities which
they can take back to their classrooms to encourage their students’ enthusiasm for math and
science,” said David Seidel, manager of pre-college programs at JPL. “Our participants are
education leaders in their communities and we share high expectations. They work hard while
they are here, and they take lots of information and tools back to their students.”

The workshop gives teachers a chance to see and learn the real-world applications of
science, mathematics, geography and technology. They observe state-of-the-art research, conduct
hands-on experiments and investigations through interaction with NASA scientists, engineers,
technicians and educational specialists at JPL. Additionally, they will become certified to borrow
moon rocks and meteorite samples and will learn how to interpret images of geologic surfaces of
planets and moons. Off-site tours include the Deep Space Network tracking station near Barstow,
Calif., NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., and the campus of the California
Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

This year, 300 educators, out of an applicant pool of over 1200, are attending similar
workshops at 10 NASA centers across the nation. NASA sponsors the NASA Educational
Workshops through a cooperative agreement with the National Science Teachers Association.
Since 1984, more than 4,750 educators have participated in the program.

JPL is managed for NASA by Caltech.

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Note to Editors: Interviews and photo opportunities can be arranged by calling Carolina
Martinez at (818) 354-9382.

List of teachers, cities and states participating in the NASA Educational Workshops at JPL:

  • Craig Abshere, Santa Barbara, Calif.
  • Tony Baldasaro, Exeter, N.H.
  • Linda Beardsley, Salem, Ore.
  • Amy Bebell, Erie, Pa.
  • Carol Cornelius, Guymon, Okla.
  • Beverly Dinger, Britton, S.D.
  • Sara Dombkowski, Buffalo, N.Y.
  • Jaen Durrett, Lubbock, Texas
  • Mary Erdelt, Palacios, Texas
  • Darlene Franklin, Portland, Ore.
  • Dana Glidden, Santa Ana, Calif.
  • Debra Gochros, Lihu’e, Hawaii
  • Shannon Lorenzo-Rivero, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Jennifer McSheffrey, Korea
  • Leo Schlueter, Phoenix, Ariz.
  • Lisa Schunk, Minneapolis, Minn.
  • Carolynn Sears, Cross River, N.Y.
  • Deborah Sloan, Burleson, Texas
  • Michael Smothers, Memphis, Tenn.
  • Douglass Stith, Concord, N.H.
  • Carrie Lynne Strasburger, Alexandria, Va.
  • Jamie Sundgren, El Dorado, Kan.
  • Kathleen Van Baren, Kingston, N.Y.
  • Jessica van Son, Longview, Wash.
  • Cora Walter, Vestal, N.Y.