Modern Red Schools Have the Right Stuff!

Going boldly where few have gone before, three Modern Red schools have linked with NASA in a program designed to enhance interest and involvement in science, mathematics, and technology through exciting learning experiences. Alabama Avenue Middle School in Albertville, Alabama, and Fordyce Middle School and Fordyce High School in Fordyce, Arkansas, are excited about their status as NASA Explorer Schools. This program, sponsored by NASA’s Education Enterprises in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association, also provides professional development for teams of teachers and assists in developing a Family Involvement Program at each of its schools.

NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe says, “Students in classrooms today are the space explorers of tomorrow. Their future role is vital to keeping our nation’s technological and space exploration goals a reality. We commit ourselves to working closely with our nation’s schools to foster learning environments that will inspire young people to understand and protect our home planet and explore the universe.”

Darrell Cooper, principal at Alabama Avenue Middle, makes the connection between NASA and Modern Red by noting the similar goals of rigorous curriculum, academic exploration, parent involvement, and student engagement. “Our Task Forces are really taking off,” he says. They provide the structure for accomplishing all the school’s goals and facilitating additional initiatives, such as NASA. “Everybody has their part to play,” he continues. “This organizing of school leaders and focus areas is one of the best — if not the best — things Modern Red brings to our school.” Visual clues abound to establish their focus on exploration. A local artist collaborated with NASA to create a massive mural to greet visitors to the school. “We get lots of compliments on this,” says Jennifer Taunton, science teacher, who initiated the NASA partnership. Even greater compliments will come once the “Mission Control” computer lab that will enable them to videoconference with NASA staff is finished and Family Nights become operational. She states, “It is a great program, and I’m glad that MRSH is interested.” Fred Reeves, MRSH Leadership Coach at Alabama Avenue Middle, is enthusiastic about their accomplishments and their maturity as a Modern Red school. Regarding their NASA connection, Dr. Reeves says, “I saw evidence of that partnership all over the building. It seems a central focus of the school, and all of the teachers have pride that they were chosen for participation.”

The Fordyce schools in Arkansas are equally involved and proud to be among the 50 schools selected each spring from across the nation to participate in the three-year NASA partnership. Shannon Archer at the middle school and Pam Vaughn at the high school were delighted to share their experiences with the program. NASA Corners have been erected in the libraries — spaces to provide information and display student projects. As part of the professional development opportunities, teachers traveled to NASA to develop lesson plans that are engaging and challenging for the different grade levels. NASA sent guest speakers to their community to talk to students, teachers, and parents about the program and its opportunities. In fact, the entire town has developed a sense of ownership and pride in having all of their eligible schools accepted as NASA Explorer Schools. “Our NASA Nights have different focuses,” says Ms. Archer, the media specialist at Fordyce Middle School. “We have talked about standards in science and math and put a lot of emphasis on benchmarks. One of our goals is to increase parent participation, so we created a PowerPoint ® presentation for parents to see how working with NASA is increasing learning for students and teachers as well.”

Ms. Archer and Ms. Vaughn agree that student enthusiasm in both schools peaks in May when Rocket Week is held as the year’s culminating activity. Student teams are asked to design, build, and test a model rocket. “They hold the first launch, and then it is back to the drawing board to evaluate and adjust. At the second launch, many students discover that not all changes they make are good ones!” Teams may go on to participate in regional fly-offs and even the ultimate rocket challenges — the Team America Rocketry Challenge, a national amateur rocket competition sponsored by NASA in partnership with the Aerospace Industries Association of America and the National Association of Rocketry and the NASA Student Launch Initiative. NASA says the program is all a part of preparing America’s young people for facing the challenges of the future. At Modern Red SchoolHouse, we are all in favor of that!

Rocket Week and other engaging activities are designed to motivate students toward careers in science, math, and engineering, while giving them a taste of hands-on aerospace work. Dr. Adena Loston, NASA’s Associate Administrator for Education, states, “NASA’s mission is to inspire the next generation of explorers by helping to make learning science and mathematics more fun.” Students in Fordyce and Albertville will surely say that they have done so. When it comes to interest levels in these subject areas, the sky is the limit! Or, maybe not.

May 2005