NC Space Grant is launching the NC Space Education Ambassadors (NCSEA) program to help meet a nationwide need to prepare pre-college students for STEM careers and an equal need for teacher leaders to inspire students. The goal of the NCSEA program is to build a statewide network of master teachers who deliver NASA educational content to their local students, schools, and communities.

Each year, up to 10 in-service classroom educators with a minimum of 3 years of service (from elementary, middle, and high school levels) will be selected from eight education districts across the state. NCSEA Ambassadorships will be competitively awarded, with NCSG reviewing all applications using a rubric to evaluate resumes, letters of recommendation from school administrators, and essays regarding STEM knowledge and passion, especially in engaging underrepresented groups in activities. Each cohort will commit to a one-year period of performance that will commence in summer 2020 and continue throughout the school's following academic year ending spring 2021.

Objectives

NC Space Grant will partner with educators from NASA Langley Research Center to provide each NCSEA cohort with intensive professional development in current NASA education themes including: Small Steps to Giant Leaps, Commercial Crew Program, and Moon to Mars. After their initial training, NCSEA will work as a cohort over the next academic year to: (1) align existing materials with the NC Standard Course of Study, (2) develop lesson plans and activities to supplement the Next Gen STEM themes, and (3) disseminate information via two outreach events/workshops to other educators in their schools, districts, or state.

Expectations of NC Space Education Ambassadors

• Implement space education initiatives with their respective schools, districts, and communities
• Align existing NASA education materials with the NC Standard Course of Study
• Improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students
• Enrich STEM and space-themed instruction through hands-on, real world challenges
• Collaborate with other NC Space Education Ambassadors to identify learning objectives, share, and develop lesson plans
• Partner with local institutions to provide meaningful STEM opportunities to students

Award Level

NC Space Education Ambassadors will receive a $1,200 stipend upon successful completion of all required activities. All expenses for the professional development at NASA Langley Research Center (Hampton, Virginia) and the Bridging the Gap Conference (Raleigh, NC) will be covered by the NC Space Grant.

Name:	Sample Applicant
e-mail:	sample-applicant@example.com
School:

Name:
Position:
e-mail:
Phone:

I will support this applicant's participation in the NC Space Education Ambassadors (NCSEA).
I cannot support this applicant's participation in the NC Space Education Ambassadors (NCSEA).

Please provide a recommendation that speaks to:

1. The applicant's ability to be a leader among teaching peers;
2. Support the NC Space Education Ambassador to offer one or more space science-related professional development workshops to local and/or regional colleagues;
3. Support the release time for the NC Space Education Ambassador to attend the professional development at NASA Langley and the 'Bridging the Gap' Conference.

File Upload: (PDF Format)
If you do not have a PDF conversion tool you can use one of these free on-line PDF converters: PDF Online - PDF Converter. To ensure that your files may be properly included in your application, please ensure that they are not protected via encryption, a password, a signed certificate or in any other manner. As Principal of this school, I support Sample Applicant's application to the NC Space Education Ambassadors (NCSEA).
I certify that I am the person represented in this letter of recommendation and that all the information contained herein is complete and true.

For additional information, please contact the NC Space Grant program at jobi_cook@ncsu.edu