Ames, Iowa – The Iowa Space Grant Consortium has announced its partner schools for the 2017 ISGC Academy. The Consortium will work with ten Iowa educators for two days during a NASA workshop at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL.
During the workshop, the teachers, who include teachers from elementary to high school teachers throughout the state of Iowa, will tour the space center, interact with NASA scientists and education specialists, and participate in educational workshops. In turn, the teachers will take what they learned during the workshop and apply it to their curriculum.
The teachers will work with former NASA Astronaut, Robert L. Stewart throughout the workshop, which runs from February 8-11. Brigadier General Stewart completed two missions to space from 1984-1985. The workshop will also allow the teachers to interact with other MSFC engineers, scientists, and educators during the workshop to see STEM in action.
“This experience will be very inspirational to these teachers,” Jay Staker, Associate Director of Iowa Space Grant Consortium, said. “They will see the past, present, and future of NASA’s Space Program. Teachers that participated in previous years become energized from their contact with some of NASA’s best and brightest people.”
The program is an exciting professional development experience that links to STEM and the NASA mission for training and enables teachers to bring their experiences back to their classrooms, schools, and colleagues.
In addition to introducing what they learned to their students, teachers will also provide professional development sessions for their colleagues related to their experiences.
“The reach of the Iowa Space Grant Consortium is truly Iowa-wide, and we are proud to announce these partner schools,” said Dr. Richard Wlezien, Director of the Iowa Space Grant Consortium. Teachers attending this year’s workshop come from seven different schools throughout the state.
Torrey Proctor – Spencer Community Schools
Amanda Bare – Spencer Community Schools
Jacquie Drey – Storm Lake Elementary School
Karen Hixon – Storm Lake High School
Kelly Myers – Clarke Elementary School
Matthew Hennes – Clarke Community High School
Jenny Stessman – Missouri Valley Elementary School
Carla Christensen – Missouri Valley Elementary School
Alicia Schiller Haynes – Central Lee High School
Jamey Sue Smith – Central Lee High School
A part of NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program since 1990, the ISGC continually strives to improve and inspire Iowa’s future in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The ISGC supports aerospace research, education, and outreach activities for all Iowans through five program categories: internships, fellowships, scholarships; higher education; research infrastructure; precollege; and informal education.
Contacts:
Jay Staker – Iowa Space Grant Consortium Associate Director
(515) 294-8417, jstaker@iastate.edu