Condon teacher spends week at Alabama space academy

A Condon teacher spent a week this summer at space camp.

Susan Patrick, who recently taught at Swan Valley School in Condon, was the sole Montana teacher to attend the Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy program in June. The program takes place each year at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Patrick was one of 250 teachers from 27 countries and 47 states who participated in a variety of classroom, laboratory and intensive real-life astronaut training sessions. The sessions are linked to science and math teaching standards, including a high-performance jet simulation, mission control exercises and scenario-based space missions.

“Through the Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy program, teachers are given a unique opportunity to become more effective educators,” Thomas Buckmaster, president of Honeywell Hometown Solutions, said in a statement. “This hands-on learning reinvigorates their lesson plans of science, technology, engineering and math education in classrooms around the globe and enhances their ability to inspire the next generation of leaders.”

Each Honeywell Educator receives a full scholarship, which includes tuition for the six-day program, round trip airfare, meals, accommodation and program materials.

The scholarships are underwritten by Honeywell and contributions from Honeywell employees; since 2004, they have sponsored more than 1,448 scholarships from 43 countries and all 50 states.