This is the week where students use their project canvas boards to develop a plan of action for their learning. They are in charge of the pathways to ensure the work gets done and to define what done means for them. It is an exciting time as we watch students really start to own the learning and the journey from this point forward.

The work session begins by students engaging in their first student operated daily stand up. Since this is their first time doing this process the Daily Stand Up is a bit more structured just to help them learn how to engage in the ownership of learning.

Title: Education Integration Lead, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters

Stephanie Yeldell serves as the education integration lead for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. She manages a portfolio of projects and partnerships engaging students and the academic community in NASA’s space technology development and missions, with a focus on supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across the agency.

She was awarded the NASA Headquarters Unsung Hero Award for her contributions to NASA STEM engagement in 2020 and previously received two NASA Headquarters group awards for innovation and teamwork. Prior to joining NASA in 2018, Stephanie worked in corporate partnerships at the National Park Foundation as well as development and public programming at the White House Historical Association. Throughout her career, Stephanie has focused on impactful storytelling and public private partnerships. She has a bachelor’s degree in art history from Furman University.

Amanda Moon Adams is a STEM engagement coordinator supporting NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate as a government contractor. She is responsible for coordinating outreach efforts including activities related to promoting NASA’s First Woman graphic novel, facilitating STMD’s presence in NASA visitor centers, and supporting student challenges. Additionally, she is responsible for making connections and evaluating opportunities for partnerships in STEM and implementing partnership activities for the mission directorate.

Prior to joining the STMD Communications team, Amanda was a communications specialist supporting NASA’s Centennial Challenges at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Adams was responsible for developing and executing multi-faceted communications strategies including social media, media relations, and web content for the program’s crowdsourcing competitions.

Before joining the NASA contract in 2017, Adams served as the senior communications specialist responsible for employee communications efforts for DIRECTV’s customer retention group from 2013-2017. From 2008-2013, Adams was an admissions counselor for the University of Alabama in Huntsville where she managed a multi-state recruitment territory.

Adams resides in Madison, Alabama, and holds a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and a Master's of Business Administration from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has been recognized with two NASA Silver Achievement Awards and a Silver Telly Award. In her spare time, she enjoys creating children’s stories with her two young daughters.

Exploration of the LSIC site to prep for the call on Monday! It was helpful to see that there are more issues the kids didn’t even think about.