NASA Opportunities

I would like to share with you several NASA opportunities for high school students AND educators. The Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) is a NASA-based program for students and teachers who are interested in science, technology, engineering and/or math (STEM) and includes three opportunities for participation:

- VASTS Teacher Institute
- Becoming a VASTS Master Teacher for the 2013 program
- VASTS program for high school juniors

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Do you want to learn more about the latest scientific information about Mars from NASA scientists and engineers? Do you have a desire to incorporate real data from Mars rovers and orbiters into your lessons but have no idea where to begin? Have you found yourself wanting to find inquiry-based, engaging and hands-on NASA activities for your students but just don't have the time to mine all of the relevant sites or to try out the lessons before making your first class the test subjects? And do you want to infuse your teaching with the latest Web 2.0 tools and videos that you create using NASA multimedia resources and images?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then we have the workshop for you!

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium and NASA Langley Research Center are offering a free Teacher Institute as part of the Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) program from February 9-15, 2013 for high school science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) teachers in Virginia.

We provide:
- Lodging for ALL teachers - there are evening activities.
- Payment for a substitute to your school.
- Stipend payment to cover incidentals.
- Mileage reimbursement for those living outside a 50 mile radius from our offices in Hampton.
- Most meals.
- Teacher Institute Resource Binder chock full of NASA-developed activities, lessons, and data.
- Introduction to Web 2.0 tools and ways to integrate into a 21st century classroom.
- Software and programs needed for video creation and podcasting!
- Opportunity to meet and share ideas with fellow STEM educators from across the state.

The deadline for applying is Friday, December 14th!

http://www.vasts.spacegrant.org/institute

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For high school juniors, VASTS is an interactive online learning course with a robotic and human space-exploration theme, culminating in a one-week residential Summer Academy at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton for those students who qualify. Offered at no cost to the student, VASTS consists of eight modules and a final project to be completed from December 2012 through April 2013 under the guidance of master educators. Based on success in the online coursework, students may be selected to attend a Summer Academy where they interact with NASA scientists, engineers and technologists to design a human mission to Mars. Students who successfully participate in VASTS earn 2 college credits for the online course and 2 additional credits for the Summer Academy.

Please direct students or other faculty to the website for program information and application, http://www.vasts.spacegrant.org. The deadline for the application is November 2, 2012.

If you are interested in becoming a Master Teacher for these amazing Scholars for the online course, please visit: http://www.vasts.spacegrant.org/educators for more information. The application deadline is November 2, 2012.

VASTS is a partnership between the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, NASA Langley Research Center, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and industry. VASTS is also part of NASA’s National High School Aerospace Scholars (NHAS) program.

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For more information on any of these programs, please contact:
Amber Agee-DeHart
Program Manager
[email protected]

Ian Cawthray
Education Program Specialist
[email protected]


Or visit: www.vasts.spacegrant.org