Idaho Science & Aerospace Summer Academy Launches Today

The first-ever Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Summer Academy begins today, as 44 high school juniors from across Idaho arrive at the Boise State campus.

At this weeklong Academy, these students will have the unprecedented opportunity to see the relevance of the science, technology, engineering and math they’ve learned up close while working side by side with scientists and engineers from NASA and Idaho. 

The Summer Academy is the culmination of the Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Program, which challenges Idaho high school juniors to take an engaging online course, developed by NASA and Idaho Digital Learning Academy, and then to compete to attend the residential Summer Academy.

The Summer Academy will be held through August 7 at Boise State University, Micron Technology, the Discovery Center of Idaho, and the NASA Ames Research Center in California.

Throughout the week, participating students will be learning from the best in the industry as they work in teams to construct rovers, robots and rockets, plan missions and understand the material in the context of the real world.

Students are kicking off the weeklong Academy with team-building activities at the Discovery Center of Idaho at 3 p.m.  At 8 p.m., they’ll break into groups and start working to build rockets that will be tested later in the week.

Here are other highlights of the Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Summer Academy:

On Monday, August 2: Boise State campus

• 8 a.m.    Alan Ladwig, NASA Deputy Association Administrator for Public Outreach, will address students.
• 11 a.m.    State Superintendent Tom Luna will speak with students about the importance of STEM education.
• 1 p.m.    Team presentations on rocketry, model rockets, and lander safety.

On Tuesday, August 3 and Wednesday, August 4: Students will travel to NASA Ames Research Center in California. 

On Thursday, August 5: Boise State campus and Discovery Center of Idaho

• 1 p.m. Students will work on team project. (Boise State)
• 6 p.m. Wendy Lawrence, former astronaut, will speak with students. (Discovery Center of Idaho)

On Friday, August 6: Boise State campus

• 8 a.m. Students will work on team projects.
• 1 p.m. Students will present their rover demonstrations.
• 6 p.m. Students will launch rockets on the Boise State Quad.
• Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna funded the inaugural year of the Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars Program. Based on its success, Idaho has received a $1.2 million grant from NASA to expand the program to serve 400 students over the next two years.

Stay tuned to the Education Idaho blog all week for live updates on the Idaho Science and Aerospace Summer Academy.

Andrew Schrader and Jaime Guevara, two recent graduates of Eagle High School, will be live-blogging from the Summer Academy all week. Andrew and Jaime are both aspiring engineers who will be attending Valparaiso University in the fall.  We’re glad to have them on board this week!

You can also follow updates via Facebook.  Become a fan of the Idaho Science & Aerospace Scholars Program.

~ Melissa M.