HISD A+ Challenge Teachers Join the Aerospace Team

Houston-area middle school and high school teachers shadowed mentors and received a lesson in Aerospace 101 in June. USA, along with Boeing and SAIC, were the first companies to represent the aerospace industry in the Houston A+ Challenge Teacher Externship program, as the program entered its fifth year.

The A+ Challenge program connects classroom teachers with business professionals to help make students’ learning more relevant to the workplace. Ten teachers from eight schools in the greater Houston area were teamed with employees from all three companies.

“This is an excellent opportunity for our employees to help local educators understand the rigors and benefits of the aerospace industry,” said Kim Nahas, USA’s project coordinator.

Throughout the week, teachers shadowed an employee or group of employees to understand their day-to-day work. Many of the teachers worked with engineers on activities in the week leading up to the launch of STS-117.

Tracy Blair, a graphics design teacher at Northbrook High School, received a whirlwind initiation through each division of USA’s Information Management organization, guided by USA managers Ralph Rohloff, Matt Beard, Jane Webb and Ron Harris.

“This was an experience I will never forget,” Blair said. “As I watched the Shuttle launch ... I felt a part of it all, and I was proud.”

The four teachers who worked with USA had a host of 26 USA mentors over the course of three and half days. Their mentors gave them a peek at the skills their students would need to join the future workforce and showed them practical applications of the subjects they teach.

Stephen Heady, an Aldine ISD physics and environmental science teacher, worked with Flight Software’s Graham O’Neil and Flight Design and Dynamics’ David Dannemiller and Heather Rainey. Heady and the other teachers on the USA team received briefings on orbital mechanics, software verification testing, statistical analysis, an introduction to the Constellation Program, and much more.

Heady said the experience had a great impact on him.

“I will encourage students to pursue careers in space science,” Heady said. “I also have a greater appreciation of the importance of giving students opportunities to refine their skills in public speaking, working in teams and being proficient in Excel and PowerPoint.”

All the teachers observed how often these skills are used on a daily basis in the workplace, and many of them planned to structure their lesson plans around these skills.

“I held my breath as I watched the launch of Atlantis; I felt proud to have been a part of the Houston A+ Challenge program,” said Vivian Thibeaux of Pearland High School. “I now have a personal stake in the success of all missions.”

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