Out of 325 applicants Potosi Trojan Intermediate School was one of 50 schools in the nation & the only one chosen in the state  of Missouri to receive a grant for "Introduction of the NASA Program for Explorer Schools."  Astronaut Dom Gorie, who has flown three shuttle missions, & other NASA representatives were at the Potosi school Tuesday afternoon to announce the beginning of the grant program.  Astronaut Dom Gorie gave a very good presentation which included a slide show & a brief movie of astronauts living in space. He then answered questions from the students, signed autographs, & posed for pictures.  One student commented, "This is so cool!"

The NASA Explorer Schools is a three year partnership between NASA and the Potosi R-III School District. This is the second year of the NASA Explorer Schools program in which 50 schools from across the nation are chosen to be a NASA school.

The Potosi R-III District is the first and only Missouri school to be included in this program. The purpose of the program is to increase student interest in the areas of math, science, and technology. The program also focuses on increasing family and community involvement in these schools. The partnership includes a grant for  $17,500 to be used to  increase technology in the classroom.

A team of five teachers from each district will be sent to NASA centers in the summer for training and will recieve educational materials that are designed to fit each state's curriculum. The Potosi team will attend training in July at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. This is a very exciting program that puts emphasis on the students and providing them with opportunities that might not be available otherwise.

Over the next three years, NASA will be taking a personal interest in all of the schools in the program. Students from last year's NASA Explorer Schools were exposed to a wide variety of hands-on education.  Students have had the opportunity to talk to NASA scientists and astronauts both in person and through distance learning. Students in the program have also been able to link up directly to astronauts on the International Space Station. Additional information about the program, the schools involved, and what opportunities are available to students can be found at the NASA Explorer Schools website at  http://explorerschools.nasa.gov 

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