STEMonauts Academy

Great opportunity for Oklahoma STEM educators!

CALLING ALL OKLAHOMA IN-SERVICE EDUCATORS (FORMAL/INFORMAL; PUBLIC, PRIVATE, ORGANIZATION) AND PRE-SERVICE EDUCATORS AND ENGINEERING MAJORS! As of yesterday, we have opened up the application process for the NASA OKSG Year-long Mentorship for Pre-service/In-service Educators and Undergraduate Engineering Majors Class of 2027.2028!

WHAT IS IT?
The NASA Oklahoma Space GrantConsortium (OKSG) is sponsoring ayear long mentorship for pre-serviceeducators, in-service educators, andundergraduate engineering majorsknown as STELLAR (STEM TeachersExperience Linking Learners toAerospace Research). Over the courseof a year and a variety of opportunities(a 10-day Summer Institute, VIP trip toNASA's Johnson Space Center, STEMin Action Weekend, a SpeedfestWeekend, and more), participants areimmersed in hands-on STEM-basedactivities for classroom application(taught by NASA educators,researchers, and scientists), whichincludes the integration of iPadapplications. Only 4 undergraduatepre-service or graduate preservice/in-service applicants (fromeach of our ten affiliateuniversities/community colleges- OU,OSU, Cameron, Langston, SNU, ECU,SWOSU, SEOSU, Redlands CC, andTulsa CC), 3 in-servicepublic/private/informaleducators (any subject area, Pre-Kthough 12th), and 3 undergraduateengineering majors (must also beattending one of our 10 OKSG affiliateuniversities/community colleges) willbe accepted to attend!

WHO?
Elementary. Secondary (any subject area), Early Childhood, SpecialEducation, Ag Education. School Administration, STEM. etc. pre-serviceundergraduate or in-service/pre-service graduate majors who will betaking classes throughout the 2026-2027 academic year.Undergraduate/ graduate participants must attend one of our ten NASAOKSG affiliate universities/ community colleges (OU, OSU. Langston,Cameron, SEOSU, SWOSU, SNU. ECU, Redlands CC, and Tulsa CC) andhave a 2.9 cumulative GPA or higher.• In-service and informal educators teaching any grade level/subject area.• Undergraduate engineering majors (must also be enrolled at a NASAOKSG affiliate university/community colleges throughout the 2026-2027academic year.

REQUIREMENTS?
In order to participate in this prestigious opportunity, participants mustfollow a professional dress code and code of conduct set by the NASAOKSG (both provided at time of selection). Participants will have monthlychallenges (1 to 3 hours each month) from July 2026 to May 2027, as well asadditional assignments during each of the required dates. In addition,participants will be required to host a 45-minute hands-on recruitmentbooth at their university or in their school district during Fall 2026 or Spring2027. Upon successful completion of all aspects of the program. participantwill receive the honor and title of STELLAR Star.

COST?
Selected participants will receive NASA funding (over $5,000 perparticipant) which covers most of the costs of this year-long STEM-basedNASA mentorship (lodging. meals, morning and afternoon refreshmentbreaks. iPad with Apple Pencil. handout materials. curriculum, orientationflight in University owned aircraft. model rocket projects. and morel forthe Ten-day Summer Institute. VIP JSC/SEEC Trip . STEM in ActionWeekend, and Speedfest Weekend 1 Participants are responsible for asupply box (general classroom supplies. list provided upon selection). afew meals on the trip to Johnson Space Center, as well as your own travelto and from the NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Center in Stillwater, OKfor each of our required and optional eventsWHEN (REQUIRED DATES)?July 22nd- 31st. 2027: 10-day Summer Institute- OSUOct/Nov 2027 (Dates TBD): Three-day STEM in Action Weekend-OSUApril 2028 (Dates TBD): Three-day Speedfest Weekend- OSUWHEN (OPTIONAL DATES)?February 2028 (Dates TBD):: 6-day VIP trip to Johnson Space Center/SEEC Conference (optional. earned. by invitation)

HOW?
Completed applications are due via e-mail to theNASA OKSG Education Coordinator, DorindaRisenhoover. by 12 Noon on Friday. October 30th,2026. All applicants will be competitively selected based on their completed applications and a phone interview. To receive an application or for questions, please contact our Education Coordinator via e-mail orphone below:[email protected] or find the application and flyer at this link: https://spacegrant.oknasa.org/stellar/ .

Please help us spread the word about this incredible opportunity!!!!

Great opportunity!

Estes Education

Pack your lunchbox, we're going on a Virtual Field Trip with NASA TechRise on Sept. 22!🎒

Learn about high-altitude balloons & find out how your school can win $1500 by submitting an experiment idea to the NASA TechRise Student Challenge.

UPDATE AS OF 9.10.26 AT 9:25AM- WE HAVE 3 OPEN SPOTS LEFT FOR THIS PD! IF INTERESTED, ACT FAST!

Are you a formal or informal educator in the state of Oklahoma who works with students in grades Pre-K through 12th, any subject area? Would you like to be immersed in hands-on inquiry/discovery based lessons which bring authentic STEM experience, across the curriculum, to your students? Have you ever dreamed of visiting Johnson Space Center to see the real-world application of space exploration? Then we have the opportunity for you!

On Saturday, October 3rd, 2026, from 9AM-12PM, at our NASA OKSG SEC on the OSU Stillwater campus, we will be hosting a free educator PD to share information about our NASA OKSG Year-long Pre-service and In-service Educator Mentorship: STELLAR, how to apply for STELLAR Class of 2027-2028, and a couple of hands-on activities which illuminate the "How We are Going Back to the Moon" and "How We will Land on the Moon." There are only 20 spots! Registration will remain open until 12Noon on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026, or until all 20 spots are filled (whichever comes first)!

To register, please complete this Google form: https://forms.gle/uA5UrHaPx4Qcc64y7 .

Please help us spread the word about this fantastic opportunity for Oklahoma formal and informal educators!

There's one more week to submit proposals for the Human Exploration Rover Challenge!
🔩Grades 6-12 and college
⚙️Open to US and international teams
🔩Multiple ways to compete
⚙️Final excursion here at the Rocket Center April 2027
🔩Find more information here https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-human-exploration-rover-challenge/

🚀 Engineering With Pool Noodles

NASA has 3 different ways to bring X-Planes into your classroom!
Explore the newest aviation technology with one of these three activities.
✈️Roll the dice to design an X-Plane Grades 5-8
✈️STEM Challenge: Design an X-Plane Grades 5-8
✈️Fold a Paper X-Plane Grades 2-8

STEM Skills in Action Research + Design