KMPS marks fifth year as Explorer School

Paige Richmond

of the Gateway

Students, teachers and community members gathered at Key Peninsula Middle School last week to celebrate the school’s fifth year in the NASA Explorer Program.

Officials and scientists from NASA, as well as representatives from the offices of Congressman Norm Dicks and Sen. Maria Cantwell, were also on hand for the event.

This year’s theme is “Exploring New Frontiers” — an apt title for a middle school that is considered to have one of the best science programs in the country. KPMS was honored with the 2008 Intel Schools of Distinction Award for Middle School Science this year.

Kareen Borders, the Explorer School Team lead at KPMS, said the program expands every year “for the kids, the staff the community.”

This year’s focus will include more community events, like a lecture by Spitzer Space Telescope Scientist Dr. Michelle Thaller, who gave one presentation for students at KPMS and another for the community at Galaxy Theatres last week.

KPMS will hold another event at Galaxy on Jan. 21. The school is one of five in the nation that will be connected to a downlink with the international space station. Students will be able to speak with and ask questions of astronauts in real time via video feed.

Vaughn Elementary, Harbor Ridge Middle School and Peninsula High School are also partnering with KPMS for that event, in order to get more students from across the district involved in the science program.

Having a strong connection with the community and a high level of support from the Peninsula School District is one reason why KPMS “is held up as a model Explorer School” by NASA, Borders said.

Another factor is keeping students enthusiastic about what they’re studying. Since all Explorer Program events are framed around KPMS’ normal science curriculum, kids are “really excited about getting a good science education in their classes,” so they can understand things like astronomy and space travel, Borders said.

That’s true for Jazlyn Coburn, a sixth-grader at KPMS who attended the kickoff event last week. She said she’d already learned about planets in her science classes.

“There are so many things in space,” Coburn said. “It think it’s so interesting. I want to work in space some day.”

Her classmate, Tashina Antoine, felt the same way. By listening to Thaller’s presentation at KPMS, she learned “a whole bunch of stuff.”

“I learned we’re in a dusty galaxy,” Antoine said.

Even Thaller took a moment from her KMPS lecture — during which she showed images of Saturn’s moon, Titan, taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope — to acknowledge how unique the school’s program is.

“This is an amazing place,” she said. “I’m so happy to be here.”

Astronaut Yvonne Darlene Cagle agreed. Cagle, who is currently preparing for a flight assignment with NASA, was at the KPMS kickoff event to talk about her experiences with the organization.

“This is really exciting,” she said about visiting the school. “It’s being a part of history in the making.”

Reach reporter and columnist Paige Richmond at 253-853-9243 or by e-mail at paige.richmond@gateline.com.