Dec 12, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

28 Middle School Educators Begin Professional Learning Fellowship in 2018-19 Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy

The Northrop Grumman Foundation and the National Science Teachers Association announced the selection of 28 middle school science, technology, and engineering teachers as 2018-19 Teacher Fellows in the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy. Selected from school districts in Northrop Grumman communities across the country, the Teacher Fellows will participate in a variety of science, technology, and engineering-related activities and professional learning opportunities.

“Teachers are fundamental to inspiring our students’ interest in STEM and igniting their passions for learning and dreams of the future,” said Sandra Evers-Manly, Northrop Grumman vice president, Global Corporate Responsibility and president of the Northrop Grumman Foundation. “We are excited to welcome this year’s 28 new teachers to the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy family.”

“At NSTA, we believe it is important to help educators develop their skills as teachers so that they can not only bolster student achievement, but better inspire a passion for science, technology, and engineering in their students,” said NSTA Executive Director Dr. David Evans. “We congratulate this year’s group of Teacher Fellows and are grateful for their commitment to education and to their students.”

The Teacher Fellows were selected on the basis of several criteria, including displaying a strong desire to advance STEM education and apply real-world applications in the classroom. During their fellowship, recipients will:

  • Attend the NSTA National Conference on Science Education in St. Louis, Missouri and pre-conference special events, April 8-14, 2019;
  • Participate in a summer five-day workshop at a Northrop Grumman facility in Linthicum, Md., June 23-28, 2019, where they will continue to explore teaching strategies and programs for integrating effective and authentic engineering design practices and workforce skills in their classroom;
  • Participate in an immersive, 70-hour externship at a local Northrop Grumman facility, where they will be partnered with an engineer/technologist to observe and experience critical workforce skills in action (July 8-19, 2019);
  • Engage in online professional learning through a comprehensive NSTA membership package which offers a variety of web-based professional learning activities, including a specially designated online learning community;
  • Develop classroom applications that integrate an authentic and "real-world" application linked to the externship experiences; and
  • Access tools/resources to develop strategies to share their learning with colleagues to build capacity within their schools and districts.

Launched in 2016, the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy was created to help enhance teacher confidence and classroom excellence in science, technology, and engineering, while increasing teacher understanding about the skills needed for a scientifically literate workforce.

For a list of the 2018-19 Teacher Fellows or to learn more about the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy, visit http://www.nsta.org/northropgrumman/.

About Northrop Grumman and the Northrop Grumman Foundation

The Northrop Grumman Foundation and Northrop Grumman are dedicated to increasing STEM educational opportunities for students so they can fill future workforce needs for talented and diverse professionals. In 2018 the Northrop Grumman Foundation and Northrop Grumman contributed nearly $20 million to diverse STEM-focused organizations and programs. Our partnerships focus on engineering and technology-based initiatives that excite, engage and educate students, with an emphasis on middle school and university level programs. Defending cyber networks, engineering autonomous vehicles and exploring space are just a few examples of the skills students develop as they experience the excitement of STEM through programs supported by the Northrop Grumman Foundation and Northrop Grumman. Programs such as the Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy provide professional development opportunities for STEM teachers, who ultimately can inspire and educate the future talent base.

About NSTA

The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence in science teaching and learning, preschool through college. NSTA’s membership includes approximately 50,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business representatives, and others involved in science education.