Awards Mars Maps To Educators Worldwide

Buzz Aldrin's ShareSpace Foundation has gifted dozens of deserving educational organizations in the United States and abroad with one of its limited- availability Giant Destination Mars Maps and accompanying curriculum. Recipients were selected through a national essay contest for interested educators held by ShareSpace Foundation in July and August.

ShareSpace's Giant Destination Mars Map is an exciting, interactive educational tool that promotes active learning by letting students explore and discover Mars first-hand. Suited for later-elementary-aged students, the Giant Mars Map is a 25'x25' vinyl floor map depicting the topography of Mars with bright colors as well as the landing locations of NASA's Mars robots, and can be used on any large surface -- from a school's gym to a museum's lobby.

"The online essay contest was designed to help any educational institution passionate about STEAM and space education earn a select partnership with ShareSpace as a recipient of a Giant Mars Map by submitting a short essay describing how they would use the educational tool to inspire children in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math," said ShareSpace Executive Director Linn LeBlanc.

Educators chosen to receive this esteemed award also earned honorary membership to the Mars Map Base Camp Community, comprised of the select group of mentors and teachers who have also received the award.

ShareSpace Foundation will soon begin a series of workshop visits to winning organizations to provide support to educators, learn how each organization has implemented the Map and how it is being used, and document the Map in use to share new ideas with the Mars Map Base Camp Community. Says ShareSpace founder and chair Dr. Buzz Aldrin, "Our children are the ones who will get us to Mars. We must invest in the development of their passions for STEAM to spark their imaginations and open up possibilities we have yet to discover."

ShareSpace Foundation will be gifting another 50 Giant Destination Mars Maps to educators in the coming months.

(Image provided with ShareSpace Foundation news release)

FMI: http://web.sharespace.org/about/mars-maps, www.sharespace.org