The Museum of Aviation Foundation NASA Regional Educator Resource Center is hosting the 7^th Georgia NASA STEM Conference, on Saturday, August 26^th, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This event is a wonderful opportunity for educators to participate in a variety of STEM workshops.

 The workshops and presentations are designed for educators to infuse NASA STEM resources into the Pre-K through grade twelve classroom curricula. The aim is to engage their students in STEM education and inspire them to pursue careers in STEM fields.    

The event will begin with an opening ceremony where June Scobee Rodgers will be introduced as the keynote speaker. June Scobee Rodgers is the widow of Challenger Space Shuttle Commander Richard “Dick” Scobee. She is an educator, author, and Founding Chairman of the Challenger Center—an honoring tribute to those who were lost in the tragedy.

Rodgers received her Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and served on the President’s National Advisory Council on Education. She was presented the Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award, and wrote her book called Silver Linings: My Life Before and After Challenger 7.

Rodgers is a distinguished speaker and has a way of grasping her audiences wherever she goes. The Foundation is honored to have her open the NASA STEM Conference with her encouraging words.

The program also includes the 5^th Annual STEM Team of the Year Awards Presentation. This year, in addition to the elementary and middle school categories, is a high school category.  Three teams of teachers who collaboratively use STEM in their school will be recognized for excellence during the event.

Clare Swinford, NASA Regional Educator Resource Center Director, stressed the importance of the event, “The primary focus of the conference is to provide NASA Education and its STEM resources to Georgia educators. It is a day of hands-on activities, demonstrations, and presentations by NASA Education Specialists and other NASA program members. The goal is to support Georgia educators who play a key role in preparing their students who are the workforce of tomorrow. The STEM Team of the Year program represents this support and it is an honor to be able to recognize outstanding Georgia educators who exemplify STEM in the classroom.”