My name is Lyndsi Mason and I get to pretend to be an
astronaut for a week. I am a fifth
grade teacher at Boston Renaissance Charter Public School in Hyde Park,
MA. I love my job and I think it
is a privilege to work with the future astronauts of the world!
In
the summer of 2014 I was selected as a part of the Mickelson-ExxonMobil
Teacher’s Academy (MEMTA) in Jersey City, NJ. This academy was a week long teacher development
opportunity. I learned so many new
ways to teach and inspire students to learn in the areas of Math and
Science. I also met over 100 3rd-5th
grade teachers from all over the United States.
One
of the teachers that I met at MEMTA had just returned from a visit to Marshall
Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, AL.
I was captivated as she told me how she had been selected for a
scholarship to attend educator space camp. She even had pictures of herself in a flight suit!
My friend,
Sushma, is on the left. She is an
elementary science specialist in Chicago, IL.
I
instantly pulled out my phone and Google led me to “Honeywell Educators Space
Academy” (HESA). I had to wait two
months before the application for the 2015 camp was available. I told Siri to remind me to apply in
September.
When
September rolled around, I didn’t need a reminder. I was so excited to apply for space camp. I hoped that my application showed my
passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and the
kids that I get to interact with every day. After I sent my application into cyber space, I settled in
for a long wait.
Months
later, in Mid December, my dreams came true. I was selected for SPACE CAMP! I was at a friend’s house for dinner when I got the e-mail. I screamed in excitement and came close
to giving everyone a heart attack. I couldn’t stop smiling and at the end of the night, my
cheeks hurt.
On
June 10, I’ll fly from Boston to Alabama to start my adventure. I will take part in training that
includes lessons, resources and experiences focused on space science and
exploration. Over the 5 days, I
will be spending 45 hours in these training sessions, including a flight
simulation.
Honeywell is a company that invents and
manufactures new technologies, used in planes, homes and to create cleaner
energy. This academy is a part of
their Hometown Solutions program, which
focuses on five areas of vital importance: Family Safety and Security; Housing
and Shelter; Science and Math Education; Habitat and Conservation and
Humanitarian Relief. Because of
this initiative, my flight, room and board and the actual space program are
free for myself and 199 other educators.
Although I
would prefer an earlier end to the school year, “Snowpocalypse 2015” has
lengthened it by quite a few days.
This means that I get to interact with my class, through this blog,
while I’m at camp. I’ll update the
fifth grade (and any other readers) on my activities, the things that I am
learning and the ways that we can apply this knowledge to our lives.
So
strap in, future astronauts! This
is going to be a wild ride and you’ll be with me every step of the way!
Love,
Ms. Mason
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