Among the 50 Explorer School Teams selected from 30 states, five schools were from Kennedy Space Center's district that includes Florida and Georgia. The schools are Carol City Elementary School, Opa Locka, Fla.; Stewart Magnet Middle School, Tampa; Oscar Patterson Elementary School, Panama City, Fla.; Howard W. Bishop, Gainesville, Fla.; and Bunche Middle School, Atlanta, Ga.

During the commitment period, NASA KSC will invite teachers from the selected schools to the space center to acquire new teaching resources and technology tools, using NASA's unique content, experts and other resources, to help make learning science, mathematics and technology more appealing to students. The program is directed specifically at students in grades 5 through 8.

"At NASA, we feel compelled to act, to implement proactive and innovative approaches, such as the NASA Explorer Schools Program, to help stem the decline in the number of young people pursuing study of science, technology, engineering and math disciplines," Loston said. "If we can help in ways unique to NASA's mission, to hold students' interest in match and science through the middle school years, we would anticipate a marked increase in students entering related careers. The nation's continued leadership in science and technology depends on the efforts of NASA and others."

The new initiative is sponsored by the NASA Education Enterprise in collaboration with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). It establishes a three-year partnership between NASA and 50 NASA Explorer Schools teams, consisting of teachers and education administrators from diverse communities across the country.

For a list of NASA's first 50 Explorer Schools or information about NASA's Explorer Schools Program, visit the program's web site:
http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

For information about the NASA Education Enterprise and programs, visit: http://education.nasa.gov.

For information about NASA on the Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov.