January 2, 2002

Columbus State University has opened yet another resource for local K-12 teachers, and this new center will have the backing and resources of one of countrys most imaginative and educational agencies NASA.

ORBIT Education, Inc., a federal subcontractor has awarded CSU a grant to establish a NASA Electronic Educator Resource Center on campus, in room 101 of Illges Hall.

The center is a place where local teachers can come to access NASA educational materials, said Francis Gardner, director of the CSU Science Education Outreach Center, which is hosting the new center.

CSU students and faculty also can take advantage of the centers resources.

There will be everything from lesson plans to documents about Mars projects, Gardner said. And usually the only cost is for duplication.

Because of the new partnership, the NASA Electronic Educator Resource Center will also host regular NASA-sponsored programs and workshops.

The first of those programs follow Januarys open house, when NASA educator Jim Gerard held a certification session for K-16 educators that allowed teachers to obtain samples of moon rocks to use in their classrooms.

This will qualify participating teachers to obtain samples of the lunar rocks for their classrooms, Gardner said. Without this certification teachers cannot have access to the materials. We will also have sample materials, posters, etc. available for teachers to take away from the reception and workshop.

Gerard and Orbit Education CEO Tony Docal attended the resource center grand opening.

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Contact: Francis Gardner
562-1471
gardner_francis@ColumbusState.edu

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