Free Materials from NASA

[Macrina]

First here is the contact info, then the details of the program follow:

 

(I really appreciate your providing complete details, and I think you're going to like the materials. Thank you for participating in my little educational outreach program. I have sent your request on to NASA to be filled.)

 

If you wouldn't mind helping me to get the word out to as many teachers and students as possible I would be very appreciative. We will send to any K-12 school, public or private, as well as home schoolers. All I need is the following information to be emailed to me at:

 

Rebecca.Griffin@cox.net

 

School name

School address

School phone number

Teacher's name

Number of students

Grade

Type of class for 7th to 12th (for example, chemistry, calculus, etc.)

 

In the meantime, I invite you to visit the "For Educator" section of the NASA Portal to see for yourself the wealth

of available educational materials.

 

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html

 

Your participation and support is wonderful. Thank you again.

 

Regards,

Becky Griffin

 

Then, when I look at the site and couldn't find Becky's info I emailed NASA and they told me she was the former director's wife. She then I emailed Becky and asked her affiliation and she had a lovely reply that I have included below. Either way it seems to be legit and we look forward to seeing what comes in the mail!

 

Yes, I'm happy to answer your questions, and they are very good ones. Actually, it's nice to have someone ask, and especially today. So, let me commence.

 

The offer is open through either this school year or NASA's fiscal year, and I believe it is the latter. That means through the end of September. I state it this way, because this program was created for me, at my request by the NASA Headquarters Office of Education. I have spoken with the NASA employees who control this portion of the agency and they told me that my educational outreach program was in their budget for this year. Let me add that NASA's annual budget for education, is and has been for many years, over $150 million. That's over $150 million a year, set aside for only education.

 

Now, why am I able to have this program? I am not now nor have I ever been employed by NASA. However, I did spend over two decades working in the space business for various companies that support NASA and I know and count as friends many, many NASA employees as well as contractor employees. Going backwards, my first awareness that the general public didn't have sufficient knowledge of and access to NASA's incredible resources, was when I was hired, shortly after college, to start working with a local contractor supporting the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. NASA/GSFC was located in the county in which I was born and lived all my life, and I had never heard of it or knew of it's existence in that locale. During the time I worked as a NASA contractor, I became aware of the incredible educational materials that NASA has available to educators. And I could never find a single educator that knew how to access those materials. So, about three and a half years ago when my husband, Mike Griffin, was asked to be the head of NASA, I asked if I could send in requests for NASA to send materials to classrooms. They were very supportive and encouraging, as I was able to make a connection that they as an agency of our federal government can't do. So, I started out emailing and telling and writing down the info needed to people I met as well as friends and family. As my husband's tenure was winding to a close, I started pushing harder to get the word out and have, for good or ill, ended up being posted by others on websites. This is my personal email address and I am now receiving several dozen requests a day. And as of noon today, when President Barack Obama was sworn in to office, my husband is no longer NASA's administrator. As a presidential appointee, the person serves at the pleasure of the President that nominated them. Until a new Administrator is nominated and complete the Senate confirmation hearing process, NASA is being ably managed by the senior career officer, Chris Scolese, as the acting administrator. So, my little program will come to an end sometime this late summer or early fall. In the meantime, I will have had the pleasure and opportunity to do something helpful to NASA, and many, many teachers, parents and children. And that makes me feel very good, and very lucky. I realize that this is a unique situation, and I am very fortunate and privileged to have been able to help and contribute in this way.

 

So, I thank you for asking and I hope you have enjoyed hearing my answer.

 

We wish the agency and the employees, as well as, the not yet announced, new Administrator all the best.

 

Yours,

Becky Griffin

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

there is a lot of stuff on the website! Thank you for posting this valuable resource.

[KristineinKS]

Thanks for sharing this, I've sent her an email!

[Country Girl]

Thanks! I sent her an e-mail to request the materials as well. I'm excited to see what comes in the mail.