HOUSTON – More than 600 educators gathered at Space Center Houston to experience the 26th Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference (SEEC). The conference brings in educators from all over the world to learn from space professionals who live and work here in Houston.
The three-day immersive conference brings in attendees from the United States, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Japan, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and Thailand.
The Space Center Houston’s Educator Resource Center, a non-profit science and space exploration learning center, offered educators of all disciplines from kindergarten through 12th grade a chance to participate in engaging workshops, spearheaded by master educators on each topic and NASA professionals.
Honored to have this program here in #SpaceCity! This is a peek at @SpaceCenterHou's 26th Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference. It's an immersive 3 day conference, bringing 600+ teachers from all over the world to learn from our experts at NASA & SCH. Story at 6 @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/VwLMyDOUCD
— KPRC2 Rose-Ann Aragon (@KPRC2RoseAnn) February 8, 2020
"Space Center Houston's SEEC is a unique opportunity for educators to be immersed in space exploration and hear from leading education and space experts," said Daniel Newmyer, vice president of education at Space Center Houston. "By immersing educators with authentic learning experiences and hands-on, space-related activities about the future of space, we equip them with innovative lesson ideas to take back to the classroom and inspire the next generation of explorers."
Educators like Michael Wilkinson, a teacher from the Bronx, New York, presented and participated in the conference.
“It’s a pure wonder! There’s really like anything and everything you want to learn about -- it can be learned about through space exploration,” Wilkinson said.
Teachers wanted to learn from those who live and work in our nation's home of human space flight.
"We pair master teachers with subject matter experts from NASA's Johnson Space Center," Newmyer said.
“They take very complex ideas and break it down at a level that an 8th grader can understand,” said Whitney Cueva, a teacher at Fort Bend ISD.
This conference inspired educators to share new lessons on space exploration with their classes to help excited and train the future generation.
“This is brilliant. I wish I would have come years ago,” Cueva said.