New Deadline for NC Space Education Ambassadors Applications: July 15

NOTE: Deadline has been extended to July 15, 2022

NC Space Grant is pleased to announce the North Carolina Space Education Ambassadors (NCSEA) program application is now open for applications. The due date for applications will be July 15, 2022.

After two impactful years of sponsoring NCSEA, NC Space Grant eagerly looks forward to welcoming another cohort of innovative educators who are passionate about imparting space knowledge across North Carolina. 

NC Space Grant will select up to 10 current teachers from eight education districts across the state for the program. The educators will commit to a one-year Ambassadorship, beginning in the summer and continuing throughout their school’s academic year. The program will conclude in the spring, but the Ambassadors will continue to receive support and special opportunities to engage students in space learning for years to come.

“We are very excited to add to our growing network of K-12 teacher Ambassadors, who are sharing NASA education to students across the state,” says Jobi Cook, associate director of NC Space Grant. “The first two cohorts demonstrated exceptional creativity and collaboration in their STEM content delivery, and we expect no less from our upcoming group.” 

The Ambassadors Program is designed to challenge educators to improve their teaching skills by providing enriching STEM and space-themed instruction through hands-on, real-world challenges. The Ambassadors will collaborate to create space education initiatives, then implement those initiatives in their schools, districts and communities.

The Ambassadors will work together to identify learning objectives and develop lesson plans that adapt NASA education materials to the NC Standard Course of Study. This will culminate in the completion of two dissemination activities in the Ambassadors’ respective districts, including one NASA professional development workshop and one NASA STEM Engagement opportunity for students.

Selected Ambassadors will participate in virtual webinars led by NASA educational specialists from a variety of NASA centers. Multiple webinar sessions will be hosted per month, including a series of NASA Next Gen STEM professional development modules. These virtual sessions will begin in September 2022 and end in May 2023. 

Ambassadors will also attend a group field trip to NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to learn directly from NASA education experts and receive on-site training. The field trip will take place at the first opportunity available, based on NASA Langley’s COVID-19 protocols and no earlier than Spring 2023. NC Space Grant will cover all expenses, including travel and substitute teacher pay.

The NCSEA program is designed to help meet two nationwide needs. The first is a need to prepare pre-college students for the STEM careers of tomorrow. The second is the need to equip teacher leaders to inspire these students early. The NCSEA program will cultivate a statewide network of excellent teachers who deliver NASA educational content to their students, colleagues, schools and broader communities.

In-service public and private school teachers with three years experience or more are encouraged to apply for this unique opportunity by July 15 on the NCSEA program page.

Learn more about the program through these links.

• 2021 NC Space Education Ambassadors Selected
• Fayetteville 5th-graders try to give egg ‘astronauts’ a soft landing
• Connecting Students with NASA Through Mission Patches
• NC Teachers Selected for New Ambassadors Program
• Guilford County teacher selected for NC Space Education Ambassadors program sponsored by NASA
• Craven County educator selected for NASA/NC Space Grant Space Education Ambassador Program

☽