25 Schools Join Unique Partnership With NASA
HOUSTON – On Friday, NASA will name 25 new NASA Explorer School teams nationwide to begin a special three-year partnership with the agency. The announcement is part of a program on NASA Television’s digital Education channel at 12 p.m. CDT.
The goal of the NASA Explorer School program is to use NASA’s unique missions to inspire student learning in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and geography.
“NASA is committed to encouraging and working closely with our schools to foster learning opportunities that highlight innovative science and mathematic instruction,” said Joyce Winterton, NASA associate administrator for Education, Headquarters, Washington. “Many of the students in the program today will join us and our many partners as the scientists, engineers, explorers and researchers of tomorrow.”
Each school team will develop a strategic plan to address its students’ needs in mathematics, science and technology education. Schools also may apply for technology grants of up to $17,500 over the three-year period to help implement their plans.
The NASA Explorer School Program began in 2003 in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association, Arlington, Va. The program targets fourth through ninth grades. Currently, 200 teams are in the program. The teams represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The program supports NASA’s tradition of investing in the nation’s education programs. It is directly tied to the agency’s major education goal of attracting and retaining students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines. To compete effectively for the minds, imaginations and career ambitions of America’s young people, NASA is focused on engaging and retaining students in STEM education programs to encourage their pursuit of educational disciplines critical to NASA’s future engineering, scientific and technical missions.
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