NASA opened new enrollment opportunities for the 2022 NASA ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner Program (ACCP) for youth-serving organizations March 1, 2022. The NASA ACCP Program enables communities to offer NASA science curricula, activities, and opportunities to children and families, making NASA science available to all.
Through the program, NASA collaborates with universities, schools, museums, libraries, and youth service organizations to provide NASA’s unique science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) engagement activities and experiences to youth, families, and educators in their own communities.
The program’s STEM activities align to Next Generation Science standards and include NASA’s unique opportunities, engineering challenges, and resources. ACCP supports trained community educators and facilitators for all students to access authentic NASA science experiences, ACCP methodology, and NASA science mission experts. Resources are particularly focused on reaching learners in under-served, under-represented, and rural communities with direct instructions and unique scaffolding designs for program facilitators.
ASTRO CAMP activities offer real-world opportunities for every student to join in, and contribute to, NASA science missions and enhance scientific understanding while inspiring lifelong learners and explorers. The ACCP Program highlights current and past NASA missions while using hands-on activities to expand STEM interest through focused activities in astrophysics, Earth science, heliophysics, biological, and planetary science missions. The approach seeks to teach camp participants to work collaboratively to complete missions, using methodology developed during 30 years of ASTRO CAMP sessions held at Stennis Space Center.
The theme for this year’s collaborative effort is “We Go … Bringing NASA Science Home Together!” The program highlights the Artemis generation, with NASA’s Next Gen STEM modules and various science collaboration opportunities, such as the R.O.A.D.S. (Rover Observation and Drone Survey) on Icy Worlds Challenge hosted by NASA science activation cross-collaborator Northwest Earth & Space Sciences Pipeline, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington.
This year, NASA science activation cross-collaboration materials include the NASA eClips resources, STEM activities, and adaptive STEM materials provided through NASA Neurodiversity Network of Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California, and Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science of Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.
NASA provides collaborators with professional development, the 2022 ASTRO CAMP Facilitators Guide, activity supply list, online resources, NASA printable resources, and templates, with continued online support of education specialists. In addition, all training and program materials become virtually available in the monthly training with no cost to programs or facilitators.
Partner collaborators provide the program leader/facilitator, support staff, facilities, supplies, and management for their site. Program leaders and facilitators participate in a one-day ACCP professional development workshop led by NASA education specialists. After the workshop, the program receives accreditation and listing as an official NASA 2022 ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner.
Monthly ASTRO CAMP facilitator tag-ups and the NASA ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner newsletters encourage continued communication between ACCP and facilitators, supporting the long-term relationship with NASA.
For more information about becoming a NASA ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner, contact:
Kelly Martin-Rivers, kelly.e.martin-rivers@nasa.gov or 228-688-1500
or Maria Lott at maria.l.lott@nasa.gov or 228-688-1776
For more information on the ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner Program, visit:
For more information about Stennis Space Center, visit:
C. Lacy Thompson
Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, Miss.
228-363-5499
calvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov