NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA SEMAA Partnership Vision

"To foster formal partnerships and collaborations amongst global STEM stakeholders to maximize student exposure and interest in STEM and increase America's overall return on investment in K-12 STEM education.
       -- SEMAA National Sustainability Committee

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Increasing America's Return on Investment Through Partnerships

NASA SEMAA sites are required to develop partnerships annually that will both enhance and sustain project services beyond NASA funding. During fiscal year 2008, SEMAA sites leveraged over $3.9 million in partnership funds (including both financial and in-kind support).

Below are just a few examples of local SEMAA partnerships developed during the 2008 fiscal year.

 
Partnership Examples

• Jwahir Enterprises Inc. and Organization of Black Airline Pilots -- Provided support to the SEMAA Project at the University of District of Columbia to allow 216 high-school-aged students to participate in a unique, six-week Aerospace Flight Academy during the summer.


• Workforce Development Grant -- Provided stipends for 125 NASA SEMAA students in the Miami-Dade County Schools who participated in two STEM-focused aerospace-themed activities.


• Chase Foundation -- Has committed to funding a math and science project for the Artesia Schools (New Mexico) and wants SEMAA to be a part of the mix.


• Martinsville City Schools - Pledged continued support for NASA SEMAA for fiscal year 2009.

To supplement local partnership efforts and ensure SEMAA's long term sustainability, the newly formed SEMAA NSC developed a National SEMAA Partnership and Sustainability Plan to guide the development of the project's first national partnerships targeted for fiscal year 2009.

Ensuring Project Growth Through Innovation

• Integrated SEMAA STEM curriculum module (Astrobiology in the Secondary Classroom)


• Completed remote upgrades of SEMAA Aerospace Education Laboratories around the Country utilizing new, state-of-the-art, distance learning technologies


• Developed a National SEMAA Partnership and Sustainability Plan to ensure project sustainability beyond NASA funding


• Developed a National SEMAA Marketing and Communication Strategy to broaden project visibility both nationally and abroad
• Developed a STEM Partnership Manual documenting a systems approach to partnership development and project sustainability

Building Project Sustainability

• Collaborated with a network of 200+ partners


• Leveraged an annual record number $3.9 Million in sustaining funds.

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"After my first year doing SEMAA, I knew I wanted to become an aeronautical engineer. I had never even considered becoming an engineer before SEMAA."
    --Shalini Chudasama