Student and teacher prepare for scientific trip to the Bahamas

Eighth-grader Jake Ballard and science teacher Heather Hughes are preparing for an adventure of a lifetime. The student from Creekwood Middle School and teacher from Woodcreek Middle School have been selected as Humble ISD’s Argonauts, as part of the JASON project.

JASON is a non profit organization, managed by the Sea Research Foundation in partnership with the National Geographic Society, that involves students in real scientific exploration with the goal of inspiring them to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

Amanda McGee, secondary science and health coordinator for Humble ISD, explained that a grant from Chevron allowed the district to participate in the JASON project.

“It brings real life, up-todate science and research into the classroom,” she said.

“And we selected the middle school as our focus area.”

JASON does not stop at sending scientists and projects to the schools, Mc- Gee added.

The program also sends students and teachers to work side-by-side with scientists and engineers in the field.

The JASON National Argonauts will spend about seven days this summer helping an elite group of researchers off the coast of the Bahamas who are studying sea animals.

The news of the adven- ture came as a surprise to Ballard and Hughes, who were chosen by a selection committee from a pool of Humble ISD applicants.

“They came to my school with a big banner and balloons,” Hughes recalled.

She said she believes the trip will help her in the classroom next year.

“It’s going to be a really great experience,” Hughes said.

“I think it will make me a better teacher and will be a good way to get my students more engaged.”

She added that the JASON project has benefited her class already.

“It’s an awesome program,” she said.

“They really put learning in perspective and show that scientific re-

search is a growing field and that it’s something you can totally do.”

Ballard is one of 11 JASON National Argonauts who will embark on the marine research trip.

He said that it felt like an eternity while he waited to find out if his application was accepted.

“It seemed to me like three years, but it was probably a month,” Ballard said.

“Every second, I was saying ‘I hope I get it.’ ”

Then the announcement came. “I was just ecstatic,” he said. “It was awesome.” Ballard explained that science is his favorite class and he cannot wait to be out in the field doing research.

“I get to quit looking at animals in a book and on TV and be one-on-one with them in their own environment,” he said.

“Science is the only class where you actually get to go away from the book and into the lab to experience and really learn.”

Ballard said he also looks forward to meeting the scientists on the team.

“To be able to get input from world-renowned scientists is a huge bonus,” he said. “I get to learn more aboutwhat I love.”

The Argonauts will depart in July for their allexpense paid research trip and are sure to bring back memories of an invaluable experience.

McGee said that JASON also provides professional development opportunities for teachers and supplements the schools’ curriculums with multimedia experiences in STEM courses.

Each JASON lesson includes reading selections, hands-on activities, vid- eos and online games for students, as well as lesson plans, implementation tips and a digital platform for educators.

The program also provides live, interactive events throughout the year.

For example, last month two scientists, Jason E. Osborne and Aaron Alfrod, visited Humble ISD middle schools to present “Sharkfinder.”

Students were instructed to search through highly concentrated fossil-bearing media to find and report any shark fossils they discovered.

During the school year, sixth-graders learned about energy with the JASON “Infinite Potential” unit, while seventh-graders studied ecology for the “Resilient Planet” project.

The eighth-graders learned about natural disasters and weather with the “Monster Storms” unit.

“Scientists bring a science mission orquest to the students,” McGee said.

“It gives science a relevance to the students.

“We want science to be fun and exciting, real and relevant.”

She said that meeting the scientists leaves a lasting impression on the students.

“There are so many careers in science, andI think this motivates the kids to think about that,” McGee said.

“They never knewthese jobs existed, and they’re excited about it.”

For more information, go to jason.org.