Space Foundation Press Releases


Space Foundation Selects 20 New Teacher Liaisons

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Space Foundation Selects 20 New Teacher LiaisonsCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 30, 2012) — The Space Foundation has selected 20 outstanding educators for its 2012 Flight of Teacher Liaisons and for the first time in the program’s ten-year history, an international teacher from India has been chosen for the elite program. Vandana Suryawanshi of Vidya Valley School in Maharashtra is a middle school educator who has been teaching biology, earth science and general science for 20 years.

She joins the 19 other new Teacher Liaisons who were selected for their active promotion of space and science education. The new flight of Teacher Liaisons will serve as advocates for space-themed education across the curriculum and will use Space Foundation-provided training and resources to further integrate space principles into the classroom. The highly regarded Space Foundation Teacher Liaison program has more than 270 active participants, including the 2012 flight. The teachers are selected by a panel comprising experienced Teacher Liaisons and representatives from the space industry and the military.

The 2012 Teacher Liaisons will be publicly recognized at the Space Foundation’s 28th National Space Symposium, which is being held April 16-19 at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo.

In addition to the recognition activities, the 2012 Teacher Liaisons will participate in workshops and education programs at the 28th National Space Symposium. 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 2012 Flight of Teacher Liaisons includes:

Colorado
Noah Albrecht, Bromley East Charter School, Thornton
Cami DeBise, Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy, Colorado Springs
Shelly Grandell, Horizon Middle School, Aurora
Amber Izzo, Antelope Trails Elementary, Colorado Springs
Bret Murray, STAR Academy, Colorado Springs
Neva Nardone, Lewis-Palmer Elementary School, Monument
Jessika Reynolds, GLOBE Charter School, Colorado Springs

Florida
Robin Little, Safety Harbor Elementary School, Safety Harbor

Illinois
Lynne Zielinski, Glenbrook North High School, Northbrook

Maryland
Autumn Britt, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, Waldorf
Karlyn Long, Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, Waldorf

Minnesota
Angela Voves-Anderson, University Avenue Elementary School, Blaine

Ohio
Kim Moore, Gilmour Academy, Gates Mills
Jennifer Stormer, O.R. Edgington Elementary School, Englewood

Pennsylvania
James Johnson, Childrens Center for Treatment and Education, Custer City

Tennessee
Billy Hix, Motlow State Community College, Lynchburg

Texas
George Hademenos, Richardson High School, Richardson

Washington, D.C.
Trish Pride, Jefferson Middle School

Wyoming
Michele Wistisen, Casper Planetarium, Casper

Maharashtra, India
Vandana Suryawanshi, Vidya Valley School, Pune

For more information about the Space Foundation Teacher Liaison program visit www.SpaceFoundation.org/education/educators. For more about the 28th National Space Symposium, see www.NationalSpaceSymposium.org/.

About the Space Foundation
The foremost advocate for all sectors of the space industry and an expert in all aspects of space, the Space Foundation is a global, nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs that bring space into the classroom and major industry events, including the National Space Symposium, all in support of its mission “to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity.” The Space Foundation publishes The Space Report: The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity and provides three indexes that track daily performance of the space industry. Through its Space Certification and Space Technology Hall of Fame® programs, the Space Foundation recognizes space-based technologies and innovations that have been adapted to improve life on Earth. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, the Space Foundation conducts research and analysis and government affairs activities from its Washington, D.C., office and has a field office in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.SpaceFoundation.org. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, and read about the latest space news and Space Foundation activities in Space Watch.

Pictured:  New Space Foundation Teacher Liaison Vandana Suryawanshi (second from left) of Vidya Valley School in Maharashtra, India, with her students and principal 


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