The Virginia Space Grant Consortium would like to share the following information about the following FREE NASA-related programs for Virginia’s high school students interested in STEM.
For 11th and 12th grade students, Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) and Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) programs are offered.
For 10th grade students, Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) program is offered.
For High School juniors and seniors, Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) is an interactive online learning course with a space mission design and human space flight theme, culminating in a one-week residential Summer Academy at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton for those students who qualify. Offered at no cost to the student, VASTS consists of seven modules and a final project to be completed from November 2017 through May 2018 under the guidance of licensed master educators. Based on success in the online coursework, students may be selected to attend a Summer Academy where they interact with NASA scientists, engineers and technologists to design a human mission to Mars. Students who successfully participate in VASTS can apply to earn 2 college credits for the online course and 2 additional credits for the Summer Academy.
Please direct students or other faculty to the website for program information and application, http://vsgc.odu.edu/VASTS/ The deadline for student applications is November 12th, 2017.
For more information on this program, please contact:
Ian Cawthray
VASTS Education Program Coordinator
ian.m.cawthray@nasa.gov
Or visit: http://vsgc.odu.edu/VASTS
For High School juniors and seniors, Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) is an interactive, on-line Earth System Science Course featuring NASA scientific research and data. The course is offered for dual enrollment college credit (statewide through TNCC) for high school juniors and seniors in the Spring semester 2018.
By combining detailed Earth System Science content with real world data analysis, students will be exposed to a rigorous course that will work across science disciplines to cultivate 21st Century Learning Skills. The program will focus on preparing students for the rigors of college and careers while allowing them to develop strong science-based skills such as critical thinking and inquiry-based problem solving. VESSS will have two components. The first component is an online sixteen-week course running from December through April. The second component is a residential NASA Summer Academy at NASA Langley Research Center for students who perform well in the course. Students who successfully participate in VESSS can apply to earn 3 college credits for the online course and 1 additional credit for the Summer Academy.
Please direct students or other faculty to the website for program information and application, http://vsgc.odu.edu/VESSS/ . The deadline for student applications is November 12th, 2017.
For more information on this program, please contact:
Joyce Corriere
VESSS Education Program Coordinator
Joyce.H.Corriere@nasa.gov
Or visit: http://vsgc.odu.edu/VESSS/
For high school sophomores, the Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) is a program focusing on the earth and airborne science, engineering, and technology integral to current missions at NASA Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. This dynamic (and FREE) program, designed by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC), inspires students who possess technical and/or scientific interests and are motivated to learn about the many different opportunities that NASA offers.
The VSCS program features two key elements: 1) an on-line science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning experience featuring five modules; and 2) a seven-day residential Summer Academy at NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, VA where selected scholars will learn first-hand from NASA professionals about cutting edge technologies and missions.
Program Information:
- FREE Program for 10th Grade Students
- Online modules covering NASA aircraft, balloon, and sounding rocket missions launched or managed at Wallops Flight Facility
- Online course runs from December 2017 through April 2018
- Highly successful students will be selected for a week long Summer Academy at NASA Wallops Flight Facility (Chincoteague, VA)
- The deadline for student applications is November 12th, 2017
- http://vscs.spacegrant.org/
for application and more information
For more information, please contact Kirsten Manning, Education Program Coordinator, at kmanning@odu.edu.