 Americans had a dream. That dream was realized with one small step. The world's fascination with space took on a whole new dimension as Neil Armstrong stepped from the eagle onto the lunar soil a quarter of a million miles away. People everywhere watched breathlessly as history was made. In 1981, history was once again rewritten as the Space Shuttle Columbia roared from the launch pad on its maiden voyage allowing people and payloads to be put into space and returned safely to Earth. Today, space is no longer the final frontier but a stepping stone to a new era, a new era in space transportation, space development, exploration, and education. Excellence in education is more important than ever as NASA continues space shuttle operations and development of a permanently manned space station. The space station freedom will extend human presence beyond Earth orbit and into the solar system. NASA's goal of leadership in space must extend well into the 21st century. Such research and development depends on a well-educated workforce. Action must be taken now to ensure that our youth are equipped with the tools they will need. Between now and the year 2000, for the first time in history, the majority of all new jobs will require more than a high school education. In fact, the National Science Foundation has predicted a shortage of some 675,000 scientists and engineers by the year 2000. At the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi, we are committed to NASA's educational goals, goals which promote excellence in education, bring more prestige to the teaching profession, and increase awareness of the impact science and technology will have on life in the future. Drawing on the inspiration and intellectual excitement inherent in the aerospace program, Stennis Space Center is able to enrich the study of social sciences, physical sciences, and mathematics at all levels of education. Through the Visitor Center, the Teacher Resource Center, and special workshops for educators and students. Of special interest to all educators and students, is Stennis Space Center's Visitor Center open seven days a week except Christmas Day. The Visitor Center offers a wide range of exhibits and models geared to stimulate interest in space science. A walk through the Hall of Achievements chronicles the history of Stennis Space Center with the missions and projects of the 18 resident agencies. You can stand next to a full-scale model of a space shuttle main engine and an actual Apollo command module. Displays include a moon rock collected by the crew of Apollo 15, a space suit worn by Mississippi astronaut Fred Hayes during the Apollo 13 mission, and a scale model of the Space Station Freedom. In addition, video presentations, space suit demonstrations, and aerospace lectures are held in the Visitor Center auditorium to enlighten teachers and students about life in space. In 1985, Stennis Space Center created the Teacher Resource Center to provide educators of all grade levels with an easily accessible source of instructional materials suitable for use in the classroom. The Teacher Resource Center contains a wealth of information, including publications, reference books, slides, audio and videotapes, computer programs, lesson plans, and activities, most free of charge. These materials reflect NASA research and technology development and relate to such curriculum areas as life science, physical science, astronomy, energy, earth resources, environment, mathematics, and career guidance. In the Resource Center, educators can also find reference materials on NASA and Stennis Space Center, as well as information on other state and federal agencies located at Stennis. The Teacher Resource Center also sponsors specialized educational workshops and programs. Recently, workshops were held for first, second, and third grade teachers in Southern Mississippi and St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. The workshops include how-to and hands-on activities to help teachers incorporate what they learn into classroom activities and programs to supplement existing curriculum. In July 1990, Stennis Space Center and the Teacher Resource Center will once again host the newest conference, the NASA Education Workshop for elementary school teachers. During the conference, teachers meet with scientists, engineers, and educational specialists. Teachers are also instructed on how to apply their experiences to their elementary curriculum. A one-of-a-kind training session was held recently at Stennis Space Center. Taconautics, the teaching of astronautics to teachers by teachers, was the idea of CEcraft in the Bacomb School District. This school district in the Southwest Mississippi Public School Consortium, in conjunction with the State Department of Education, the University of Southern Mississippi, NASA, and Stennis Space Center, hosted a week-long program designed to give teachers from around the state of Mississippi a special awareness of astronaut training. What really made this program unique was the actual participation of the teachers in hands-on activities such as rocket building, kite flying, survival school, zero-gravity underwater simulation training, and flying. One of the many activities awaiting teachers was instruction in the assembling and launching of rockets. From assembly to lift-off, teachers gain knowledge and insight into the intricacies of space flight being. After classroom discussions and compass functions and map reading, the Mississippi teachers headed outdoors to put their survival training to the test. Armed with only a map and a compass, the teachers set out on a six-mile trek to a fairly isolated area. The destination was in sight. Teachers took to the sky in order to feel the same forces of gravity as the astronauts, although for a shorter period of time. Four forces, gravity, lift, thrust, and drag, act on this two-seater aerobatic plane. While the feeling of weightlessness and zero-gravity lasted only seconds, it was compared to the floating sensation of a carnival ride at the fair. With something as simple as kite flying, the Mississippi teachers learned the same principles of aerodynamics as the astronauts. Testing the kite's construction and shape, as well as wind direction and speed, most found this type of flying not as easy as it seemed. With this hands-on activity, teachers became aware of how the atmosphere interacts with moving objects. Weightlessness in space takes a concentrated effort to move, walk, grasp for objects, and complete experiments. The Mississippi teachers were about to learn exactly how difficult weightlessness is. Following instruction from a Navy research physicist, a biologist, and a physical scientist, they drove into the pool to the experiments that awaited them. While the first two buddy teams struggled to use their entire bodies underwater, others watched from the underwater camera. The teachers tried to meet the challenges and deal with the frustration of piecing together a puzzle, pulling themselves across a ladder and sitting in a chair from the Apollo spacecraft. Just breathing naturally, and as soon as I got started doing the activities, it was so enthralling. I forgot completely about breathing or doing anything wrong. And I bet by now they're loving everything. And he holds the hands, you know, and he'll make sure you're okay. Very little room to be afraid. On the last day of the take-anotic workshop, the teachers, along with their families, toured Stennis Space Center to see all that is involved in testing the space shuttle main engines, as well as the work done by the resident agencies. The raw power that rockets the shuttle into space shook everyone as they witnessed a shuttle engine firing. I was by the sound. I knew it would be loud, but I had no idea that I could feel it all over. I couldn't hold my teeth together. The vibration was so great. Open your mouth and you can feel the different tissues vibrating through your body. As far as comparing the noise level to anything, there's nothing you compare the noise level to. You got a feeling of panic, but it really wasn't in danger, but there's just a feeling of panic and wanting to get out of dodge. Because of NASA's and Stennis Space Center's involvement in educational programs, these moms and dads who happen to teach other parents' children are anxious to get back to the classroom and share their experiences with their students and fellow teachers. Everything that they've told us is on a level that we can understand and in turn give it to our children to understand. I would like to share all this information with my peers. One of the main objectives of this program was to do staff development, and I feel like in the state of Mississippi, if we don't start sharing things within the circles of educators, then we're really missing out on the boat. This week we've gotten seeds of knowledge to take back home and to plant and to nurture and to watch them grow. I think the kids in Mississippi are really lucky because there's a whole bunch of wonderful teachers down here who have given up summer time, who've given up jobs and we're here to learn about the space program, and I guarantee you Mississippi's going to be far better off for it. We are capable of accomplishing wonderful things, but only if we can attract and develop future generations of the most talented engineers and space scientists. Together we must strengthen America's educational framework in the areas of science, engineering and mathematics by investing in America's youth, by encouraging them, and by affording them the opportunities necessary to expand their horizons. Stennis Space Center and Mississippi educators working together share the dream.