NASA, SETI combine to give 3 Anchorage teachers an infrared view of the cosmos
Alaska News Source
By Charlie Sokaitis
Published: Jul. 12, 2021 at 9:34 AM AKDT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – It was a nearly out-of-this-world opportunity, three Anchorage School District science teachers recently participated in the Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program through the SETI Institute, which seeks out intelligent life in the universe, in conjunction with NASA.
The three lucky teachers — Jessica Winn, a multidisciplinary science teacher at Polaris K-12 School; Jennifer Childress, a physics teacher at Dimond High School; and Mark Youngblood, a physics teacher at Bartlett High School — were all chosen for this prestigious and competitive program.
According to the SETI Institute’s website: “The AAA program’s primary goal is to measurably enhance student STEM achievement and engagement in selected school districts via professional development for middle school, high school, and community college science instructors.”
For the three ASD teachers selected, that means participating in a teacher training program aimed at taking what they learn through AAA and bringing it back to the classroom.