CANYON FERRY — The Montana Workshop where NASA helps Montana educators further learn more about NASA science and engineering and S.T.E.M education.
For seven years the Montana Learning Center has partnered up with NASA to better educate teachers and students in the K-12 curriculum on the positives of S.T.E.M learning in the classroom.
NASA and the Montana Learning Center want to show that S.T.E.M. learning is not only important, but can also be tons of fun, and that's the goal for Montana Learning Center's Executive Director Ryan Hannahoe.
"We want to provide an exciting opportunity that lets them bring NASA's science and cool technology back to the classroom to get you to know, you get the teacher excited then you get your kids excited, too. And that's really what we want. We want students excited," said Hannahoe.
One of the easiest ways to get students excited is to get excited teachers, just like Rose who teaches at Lodge Grass Public Schools.
"The excitement of being able to teach my students fun and exciting things and science class. And I think this is an excellent opportunity. I'm going to learn something new and I'm going to be able to teach what I've learned to my students," said Rose.
For the event, educators are split into groups of two to complete various stem tasks to concur over Friday and Saturday. The winners get to bring their students on an all-expense paid trip to the Kennedy Space Center.
"So, you know, what we're trying to do is, is provide unforgettable experiences for students in underserved, underrepresented communities. So we're really excited to have educators here from almost all seven Indian reservations in Montana," said Hannahoe.
The education workshop will include lego robotics, drones, and actual moon rocks.
"I'm so excited because I love to teach science and I love bringing new and new things into the classroom. And this is definitely going to be something new and exciting for my students to do," said Rose.
Space exploration can often seem out of reach, but thanks to programs and teachers like the ones out at the Montana Learning Center more students are able to reach for the stars.
