• NSIP (STS competetions)
• Workshop
• Symposium
• Courses
• Interships
• K-14 STEM Teachers Alliance Grop
• Public outreach
• Space Science Ambassador
• Partners

Named after the famous STS experiments of Challenger, we conduct a "Student Involvement in Science, Technology and Space Exploration Projects (SI-STS-EP)". These projects will be managed and executed by a consortium of K-12 schools, HBCUs, NASA space brokers, and representatives of NASA centers.  We particularly use existing State and federally funded outreach and enhancement programs within NC A&T State University (NCAT) to develop activities that track and target National Education Standard.  Such programs include Professional Development Schools (PDS) and GAMESEC,. Upward Bound and Gear Up. We propose to conduct one local, one statewide competitions,  and participate in one nation wide competition beginning the 2nd year of funding.   While the activities will be designed to promote NASA missions and strategic enterprises, we will focus on developing  the students interest in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. In particular, the proposed activities will be targeted in developing these interests through inquiry based learning. In doing so, the students will work collaboratively as team members, will learn and apply their computational skills including use of computers and the Internet, will learn the core concepts of space science, will learn to integrate science, mathematics, technology, and geography concepts, will learn to communicate more clearly and effectively. In the end these students will become the next generation of space scientists by working closely with the best minds in the field. The students will assert their global citizenship, and become responsible  by acquiring formal and informal knowledge about Earth and its environment. The most important component of the education plan will be the team advising process.  The teams of advisors include a university faculty member, the student's teacher (s), and space science experts from NASA centers, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as "Space Science Ambassadors".  All the elements of peer advising and role model will be implemented.  Of particular importance in this process is the establishment of an annual SI-STS-EP, with in the National Ronald E. McNair Space Technology and Science Institute (STS-I).  The SI-STS-EP project is consistent with our recent success in securing MUCERPI-2003 to develop a space science education and research program.