Space Foundation Selects 29 Teacher Liaisons

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 2, 2009) -- The Space Foundation has named 29 outstanding educators as its 2009 Flight of Teacher Liaisons in recognition of their active promotion of space and science education in their classrooms and their communities.

Drawn from 25 different schools in California, Colorado, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas, the new Teacher Liaisons will serve as advocates for space science education and use Space Foundation-provided training and resources to further integrate space into their classrooms. The 2009 Teacher Liaisons will be publicly recognized at the Space Foundation's 25th National Space Symposium, which is being held March 30 - April 2 at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The highly regarded Space Foundation Teacher Liaison program is in its sixth year and has more than 275 active participants, including the 2009 Flight. Honorees are selected by a panel comprising experienced Teacher Liaisons and representatives from the space industry and the military. 

In addition to the recognition activities, the 2009 Teacher Liaisons will participate in workshops and education programs at the 25th National Space Symposium. Teacher Liaisons from Colorado's Front Range also have the opportunity for their students to participate in Symposium programs; grades 3-8 can hear from an astronaut and grades 9-12 can visit the Symposium's extensive Boeing Exhibit Centers. Following the Symposium, Teacher Liaisons can take advantage of specialized training and instruction at Space Foundation and NASA workshops with optional graduate-level credit; exclusive science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professional development experiences with optional continuing education credit; and special space-oriented student programs created just for Teacher Liaisons.

The 2009 Flight of Teacher Liaisons (organized by state and city) are:

California:

• Maria Catalina, Mar Vista Middle School, San Diego

Colorado:
Aurora:

• Jill Whalen, Yale Elementary School
• Maurie Cyr, Murphy Creek K-8

Broomfield:

• Jeri Tagawa, Kohl Elementary School
• Therese Lutkus, Kohl Elementary School 

Colorado Springs:

• Caron Kosters, Mountain Ridge Middle School
• Elizabeth Dalzell, Horizon Middle School
• Margaret Jurek, Wasson High School
• Melissa Peterson, Canon Elementary School

Cities with one honoree:

• Dave Schlichting, Eaglecrest High School, Centennial
• Kathleen Newmyer, Center High School, Center
• Scott Franzblau, Denver Venture School, Denver
• Kym Schure, Morgan Community College, Ft. Morgan

Maryland:
Waldorf:

• James Mascia, Westlake High School
• Jennifer Davis, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School

Missouri:

• Sarah Kelsey, Benjamin Banneker Science and Technology Elementary Magnet School, Kansas City

Nebraska:
Bellevue:

• Ann Albers, Twin Ridge Elementary School
• Darin Toelle, Twin Ridge Elementary School
• Nicole Janssen, Bellevue East High School
• Janis Elliott, Bellevue West High School
• Lisa Vogel, Mission Middle School
• Garrett Sims, Fairview Elementary School

Omaha:

• Deirdra Washington, Omaha Public Schools
• Hakan Armagan, Burke High School
• Judith Stucky, Westside High School

Cities with one honoree:

• Doug Showell, Papillion LaVista High School, Papillion

Texas:
Killeen:

• Barbara Arzt, West Ward Elementary School
• Michelle Golaboff, West Ward Elementary School

Cities with one honoree:

• Naveen Cunha, Stephen F. Austin Middle School, Bryan

For more information about the Teacher Liaison program, click here.

About the Space Foundation
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is an international nonprofit organization advancing space-related endeavors to inspire, enable, and propel humanity. A leader in space awareness activities, major industry events, and educational enterprises that bring space into the classroom, the Space Foundation is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo. It conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office and has field representatives in Houston, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Fla. The 25th National Space Symposium, the premier annual gathering of the global space community, will take place March 30 - April 2, 2009, at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. Along with partnering organizations, the Space Foundation also conducts Space Business Forum: New York on June 4, 2009, in New York, N.Y., and Strategic Space and Defense 2009 from Oct. 6-8 in Omaha, Neb. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org.

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