NASA Wallops reportedly becomes one of the facilities to receive an educational grant
NASA Wallops Visitor Center is reportedly one of the organizations selected to receive a grant.
The grant for the NASA Wallops Visitor Center is reportedly $604,000.
NASA Flight Facility officials say about $325,000 of the money will focus on visitor center exhibit upgrades including design and construction. The rest of the money will reportedly fund two positions who will help develop and implement the STEM education programs the facility proposed to include purchasing instructional materials for use in the those programs.
According to officials, NASA is awarding about three million in grants to the facility and two other organizations to help inspire the next generation in STEM studies and careers as the agency continues on its journey to mars.
The association announced that the picked organizations include NASA Wallops Visitor Center in Wallops Island Virginia, Girlstart, Inc., of Austin, Texas, and Wings of Eagles Discovery Center in Horseheads, New York.
The selected projects will reportedly come up with a new Mars exploration exhibit, provide educator professional development on space science topics and engineering technology, pilot Mars-themed lesson plans in regional school districts, enlarge regional after-school and summer camp opportunities, and formulate community programs that associate with space exploration.
Roosevelt Johnson, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Office of Education in Washington says “Museums and out-of-school time providers are in a unique position to provide STEM engagement through hands-on experiences, NASA supports experiences that engage with STEM topics in personally meaningful ways.”
The organizations were reportedly picked after a peer-review process for NASA’s Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities. Three months ago, NASA discussed the first nine proposals selected from the 73 applications they received. The newly-selected projects are in value of $600,000 to $1.25 million. Organizations will reportedly put in place their proposals of up to five years depending on their project.
The programs will help students become more familiar in get more hands on experience with stem research.
For more information on the 2015 Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities, visit their website. For more information on NASA’s education programs, visit their website.
