Student Program for Aeronautics Resources for Knowledge (SPARK)
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It's the vision of Idaho Student Program for Aeronautics Resources for Knowledge (SPARK) that all children understand the enormous potential that aeronautics and information technologies hold for humankind–and that those children clearly feel connected to that potential.
SPARK is a program designed to bring aeronautics to rural, Native American, and disadvantaged youth via the Internet.
Through its Web site, SPARK utilizes the excitement of NASA to increase knowledge of aeronautics, offer support for students and teachers as they learn to use the national computer networks, and link rural youth and teachers with their urban counterparts.
The project provides curricula to fit high school math and science courses, as well as links to career information and role models. SPARK also develops interactive, Internet-based activities that apply science and mathematics to real research and design problems-activities that meet local, state, and national standards for grades 9-12. In addition, the project provides internships for 20 high school students at state and national research facilities.
Among the many benefits of Idaho SPARK are:
- Design and Inquiry Challenges that apply science and mathematics to real research and design problems, and meet local, state, and national standards for grades 9-12.
- Demonstration and evaluation of aeronautics curricula with rural, Native American, and disadvantaged youth.
- Scales for dissemination into existing U.S. Department of Education TRIO programs.
- Apprenticeships for 20 high school students at state and national research facilities.
Curator: Randolph Kim
Responsible NASA Official: Mark
Leon
Last Updated: 07/02/2002
