By Michael Wilkey
Jonesboro Sun
HARRISBURG — A Harrisburg Middle School teacher will have the chance to inspire his students as he participates in a weightless exercise later this month.
Michael Graham, an eighth-grade math teacher, was selected to participate in the Northrop Grumman Weightless Flights of Discovery Program in Memphis on Sept. 16.
Graham said the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics coordinator at Arkansas State University, Cynthia Miller, sent out an e-mail to Graham and other teachers about the project.
Graham said he jumped at the chance to participate after reading the e-mail.
“I love space and science,” Graham said. “I will learn how to inspire students in helping in their math and science careers.”
According to the program’s Web site, teachers get an opportunity to experience parabolic or “zero-gravity” during an aircraft flight.
During the flight the person experiences temporary weightlessness and learns what is like to be in outer space. The exercise will be done in a special aircraft in a 100-mile-long by 10-mile-wide airspace.
The pilots will fly between 24,000 and 32,000 feet in the air, while climbing to a 45-degree angle, the Web site notes.
Graham said he plans to show the students how important the issue of space is.
“There will be a series of experiences that will help students see it is pretty neat in weightless environments,” Graham said.
Graham said he plans to drop a ball in “lunar” gravity, at one-sixth speed; in “Mars” gravity, in one-third speed; and during a weightless environment, with no gravity.
As for the STEM program, Graham said students enjoy the opportunity to learn more about a subject.
“It is interactive, and they love it. It is very hands-on,” Graham said.
Graham said he believes the program will be beneficial to students in Harrisburg, not just academically but in their future.
“At Harrisburg, to get to see someone almost in space, it will give them inspiration,” Graham said. “I am doing this to inspire kids that they can do it and to provide inspiration to them.”
Gus Gulmert, an official with Northrop Grumman, said the program has been in existence since 2005. The program’s focus is two-fold, Gulmert said.
“We see the need for kids to get involved with math and science. It also gets the teachers inspired as well,” Gulmert said.
Gulmert said Heidi Brewington, a teacher at Cross County, will also participate in the program Sept. 22 in Salt Lake City.
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On the Net:
www.northropgrumann.com/goweightless
