Michigan Teacher Heads to NASA for Space Program Training

A small-town Michigan teacher is about to learn from the best in the universe, and her students will be the real winners.

DeAnn Smith, who teaches at Ashley Community Schools in the village of Ashley, Michigan, earned a spot in NASA's competitive Liftoff program at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Out of thousands of applicants nationwide, only 60 educators made the cut.

Smith juggles multiple roles at her school. She teaches elementary and middle school PE along with middle school science, chemistry, biology, and STEAM classes.

This June, the tables turn as she becomes the student. From June 22 through 26, Smith will spend a week immersed in hands-on learning about NASA's Artemis program, the ambitious initiative planning to return humans to the Moon and eventually reach Mars.

The program's theme this year is "Moon to Mars: A New Era of Discovery." Smith will explore the same cutting-edge technology and techniques that NASA scientists use daily.

The Ripple Effect

What happens at the Johnson Space Center won't stay there. Smith plans to bring everything she learns straight back to her Ashley students, giving kids in a small Michigan village access to the same world-class space education that NASA provides.

The NASA Liftoff program specifically targets STEM and STEAM teachers for this reason. The investment in one educator creates a ripple effect, reaching hundreds of students who might never otherwise touch real NASA curriculum.

Since the program launched in 1990, thousands of teachers have transformed their classrooms with authentic space science experiences. Now Smith joins that legacy, proving that big opportunities can reach the smallest communities.

Her students in Ashley are about to discover that the next frontier isn't so far away after all.