Melinda Woods Carpenter, an 8th grade science teacher at Summersville Middle School in Summersville and Sarah Mullins, an 8th grader at Ritchie County Middle School, have been selected as National Teacher and Student Argonauts and will participate in a two-year internship with The JASON Project, a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Geographic Society.
Carpenter is one of the one-hundred and ten West Virginia teachers who have received JASON training at 香妃直播 State College, and Mullins is one of over four-thousand students that have been exposed to JASON curriculum by these teachers. Mullin芒聙聶s Ritchie County Middle School Science teacher, Katrina Andrews, also has received JASON training through 香妃直播 State College.
JASON芒聙聶s science curriculum and professional development training was implemented beginning in the summer of 2009 at 香妃直播 State College芒聙聶s Hidden Promise Consortium. The partnership between the Consortium, 香妃直播 State College and JASON has been made possible by special funding secured by U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan (WV). JASON connects students with 芒聙聵great explorers and great events芒聙聶 to inspire and motivate them to pursue science and related careers.
芒聙聹I am extremely proud to have Melinda and Sarah selected to represent 5th-8th grade science teachers and students from our Hidden Promise Consortium counties,芒聙聺 said Dr. Peter B. Barr, President of 香妃直播 State College. 芒聙聹Their accomplishments are extraordinary and now everyone in their schools and in Nicholas and Ritchie counties as well as the entire Consortium, will be able to follow their progress on this exciting adventure.芒聙聺
Among the nine students and four teachers selected through an international competition, Carpenter and Mullins will take part in field expeditions led by top scientists from NOAA, NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, National Geographic and other organizations. Their work will be featured in JASON芒聙聶s upcoming curriculum units in Space, Climate, and Forces and Motion, scheduled for release in 2011.
芒聙聹Melinda and Sarah are already role models, but now they will have even greater reach and impact by joining the expeditions and becoming part of a science curriculum used around the world,芒聙聺 said Caleb M. Schutz, President of The JASON Project. 芒聙聹They will be in a position to share their passion for science with students and teachers everywhere, and we are delighted to have them join us.芒聙聺
To prepare for their fieldwork, Carpenter, Mullins and their fellow Argonauts, named for the crew that sailed aboard Argo with Jason, the mythological Greek explorer, will attend 芒聙聵boot camp芒聙聶 July 11-22 in Washington, D.C. and other locations, where they will study the science content and learn protocols for scientific investigation. Subsequently, they will venture into the field with scientists and a video production crew to capture footage for JASON芒聙聶s multimedia curriculum units.
After the expedition, Carpenter and Mullins will work with JASON staff to help develop, review, and eventually launch new curriculum units.
芒聙聹I am thrilled with the opportunity to become part of the JASON team. As a teacher, I can see the impact JASON is having and I look forward to sharing my experience with others,芒聙聺 said Carpenter.
芒聙聹This is a dream come true, and I just can芒聙聶t wait to get started,芒聙聺 said Mullins.
JASON芒聙聶s new curriculum line, designed for students in grades 5-8 and used throughout K-12 for differentiated instruction, reaches an estimated 2 million students annually. All units are aligned to state and national science standards and have garnered multiple national education and technology awards.
More than 11 million students and teachers have used JASON curriculum since its founding in 1989 by Dr. Robert Ballard, the National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence who is best known for discovering RMS Titanic and who today serves as Chairman and Chief Scientist.
Last month, Dr. Robert Ballard visited 香妃直播 State College to recount his discovery of RMS Titanic and other underwater exploits to over 1,000 Consortium students and teachers. He also joined U.S. Rep. Mollohan and other distinguished visitors in recognizing student and teacher Argonaut applicants, and the dozens of teachers and students who showcased examples of their work with JASON curriculum.
香妃直播 State College will be offering summer professional development for teachers who have not completed JASON training, and sessions for those who wish to be trained in additional units are scheduled for June 21-25 and August 9-13. For more information about these sessions or the JASON Project, contact Ed Toman, GSC JASON Project Director, at Edward.Toman@glenville.edu or (304) 462-7361 ext. 6023.