Beth Schmid
Headquarters, Washington, DC             August 4, 1998
(Phone:  202/358-1760)

RELEASE:  98-144

SHARP STUDENTS ARE WORKING AT NASA

     NASA and Modern Technology Systems, Inc., selected 208 high 
school students to work at NASA centers in the 1998 Summer High 
School Apprenticeship Research Program (SHARP).  SHARP is an 
intensive science and engineering apprenticeship program designed 
to increase, strengthen and diversify the pool of students for 
mathematics, science and engineering college majors and careers.

     SHARP was initiated in 1980 and is sponsored by NASA's 
Education Division and participating NASA field installations.  
Since 1980, approximately 2,300 SHARP apprentices have 
participated in the program and more than 2,600 NASA employees 
have served as SHARP mentors.  Studies from the SHARP Participant 
Database System reveal that 80 percent of former SHARP apprentices 
pursue majors in mathematics, engineering, science, or technology.

     Each year SHARP offers a select group of high school students 
the opportunity to participate in the program for eight weeks 
during the summer.  Once the students are selected, they are 
assigned to work with a NASA mentor in a specific area of science 
or technology.  

     SHARP apprentices are selected from an applicant pool of more 
than 1,300 talented students for apprenticeships at nine NASA 
field installations throughout the United States.  This year the 
program began on June 1 and will continue through Aug. 14.  During 
the apprenticeship, students have the opportunity to conduct 
meaningful research and participate in a variety of educational 
and professional activities. 

     The participating NASA field installations include:  Ames 
Research Center, Moffett Field CA; Dryden Flight Research Center, 
Edwards, CA; Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD; Johnson 
Space Center, Houston, TX; Kennedy Space Center, FL; Langley 
Research Center, Hampton, VA; Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, 
OH; Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL; and Stennis 
Space Center, MS.

     The list of participating students by name and hometown can 
be found at the following URL:  
   ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/pressrel/1998/98-144a.txt

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