澳门博彩官网 has been awarded funding as part of the 新世界等待你- ii （NWAY-II）资助, a NASA-supported initiative aimed at engaging students in space-related STEM education. The grant, awarded in March 2024, is managed by the WEX基金会, with 澳门博彩官网 serving as a sub-awardee alongside Eastern New Mexico University and the University of Texas at San Antonio.
这笔资金使澳门博彩官网能够加强其课后STEM项目，使当地中学生沉浸在太空研究和实践学习中。 该计划旨在通过解决太空探索中的现实挑战，激励下一代科学家、工程师和教育工作者。
“Our 澳门博彩官网 UTeach teacher candidates attend after-school programming for one hour per week, guiding students through a 14-week curriculum,” said Paula Gutierrez, Lecturer in the Department of Biology at 澳门博彩官网. “学生s work on designing and building lunar habitats, simulating how astronauts could survive in lunar lava tubes—an actual research focus in space science today.”
在整个课程中，学生学习基本的生存需求，包括能源、食物、卫生、医疗和生活质量方面的考虑。 他们为月球栖息地制定蓝图，并在构建3D模型和制作最终比赛的视频之前，向行业专家展示他们的设计以获得反馈。
The program not only benefits young learners but also provides 澳门博彩官网’s future educators with invaluable classroom experience.
“Our teacher candidates receive hands-on training in STEM education while building relationships with students over the course of a semester,” Gutierrez explained. “They gain practical skills in classroom management, organization, and conflict resolution, all while engaging in a meaningful educational experience.”
RosAaliyah Olguin是澳门博彩官网地球科学专业的学生，也是NWAY资助项目的接受者，她亲眼目睹了该项目的影响。
“Being part of the after-school program has helped me build confidence in the classroom and in teaching STEM,” Olguin said. “NWAY is an amazing opportunity to work with students from diverse backgrounds and connect with mentors who share their passion for science.”
Olguin also emphasized the program’s excitement factor for middle schoolers.
“The students love the friendly competition in designing their lunar habitats,” she said. “It’s a fun way for them to showcase their STEM skills, especially in space exploration.”
除了对学生和未来教师的好处之外，该资助还代表着在二叠纪盆地扩大STEM教育的重要一步。
“For our community, this means providing high-quality, space-focused STEM programming to middle school students at no cost,” Gutierrez noted. “Many after-school programs target elementary or high school students, so we’re addressing a gap by reaching middle schoolers—an often-overlooked group.”
该计划目前在米德兰-敖德萨地区的三个校区活跃，并有扩展机会。 教师候选人也将因参与而获得津贴，澳门博彩官网将于4月开始招募下一批NWAY领导者。
随着澳门博彩官网继续通过这样的项目促进创新和学习，学生和教育工作者都在获得塑造STEM未来的技能和灵感。
For more information about the NWAY-II program and how to get involved, email Paula Gutierrez at gutierrez_p@uptb.edu.
