This post is written by Paul Hightower, LTF science content editor.

This is not a commentary about Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon, who passed away this weekend at age 82 after complications due to cardiac surgery. No, this commentary is about a man you have probably never heard of: Eugene Cernan, a retired Navy officer and test pilot, now 78 years old. Cernan was the last man to walk on the Moon as the commander of Apollo 17 in 1972.

The date in particular should be striking, as this coming December will mark 40 years since any human set foot on the Moon, or even left a low-Earth orbit. Seven Apollo missions out of a planned 20 delivered a total of 24 men to the Moon, of which 12 physically set foot on that lunar body. Without exception, all traveled and were brought back safely with technology less advanced than your nearest laser printer.

Reflect on this accomplishment and, more importantly, the glaring lack of achievement that has followed. Four decades have passed – almost two full generations – since we have even conceived of an attempt at landing astronauts on the Moon, Mars, or any other planetary body. The momentum built by the Apollo program, which had children dreaming of space travel and lunar laboratories, was lost at the hands of politics and money.

Science needs big ideas and, with them, big heroes. The United States used to excel in creating both but has somehow lost its will to be great amid arguments over budgets both scientific and educational. Big ideas inspire generations of students, who are the ultimate consumers of the product put out by our educational institutions. Supply and demand is not an entirely foreign concept in teaching, and the greatest driver of STEM education would be parents, teachers, and students hungrily demanding it from legislatures.

Despite its amazing recent success, it is doubtful anyone can name the designer of NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity, much less will their inevitable passing make international headlines. We need inspiring science heroes, even if we have to manufacture them, but for that we need big science – projects that capture the imagination and emotion of students and make them eager for an education. Armstrong and Cernan should not be left as dry historical footnotes generations removed from today’s science students. 

Photo credit: NASA

Common Core Assessment Preview. Both PARCC and Smarter Balanced consortia have released sample item and task prototypes for English and math CCSS exams.

College education buffered recession effects. New report analyzes effects of recession by education level and industry. Workers with no more than a high school diploma fared the worst.

Large, urban districts have advantage for Race to the Top funds. Race to the Top grant requirement specifies districts must have at least 2,000 students or team up with other districts to be eligible to apply for the federal grant.

The new digital divide. As more districts and students have access to computers, the uneven access to bandwidth and high-speed Internet has become more of an issue.

Immigrants make up same share of U.S. population now as they did in 1910. But where immigrants are from has changed.

Many high school students graduate unprepared for college. One of many findings from ACT’s annual report.

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The latest numbers from the ACT college entrance exam came out today.

The big takeaways are:

• Composite scores are stagnant. The average composite score is about the same as it has been since 2008 (21.1 out of 36).
• More students are taking the ACT. The number of high school students taking the ACT has increased over the last five years
• Many high school students graduate unprepared for college. Only a quarter of all ACT test-takers met the test’s College Readiness Benchmarks for all subjects (math, science, social studies, and English). Additionally, 28 percent of 2012 high school graduates taking the ACT failed to meet even one of the test’s College Readiness Benchmarks for math, science, social studies, or English.
• Achievement gaps persist. White and Asian students continue to outpace African American and Hispanic students’ performance.  

National Math and Science is based out of Texas, where ACT scores were lower than the national average. Only 24 percent of the ACT test-takers in Texas met all four college readiness benchmarks. Keep in mind, however, that the SAT is the college entrance exam of choice for most Texas students. Only 39 percent of Texas seniors took the ACT, so the results are not representative of the state as a whole. The College Board is expected to release its SAT report for the Class of 2012 in the next couple of weeks.

Related Stories:

• ACT Scores are Flat
• ACT Report: 24 Percent of Graduates College Ready

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When I was asked to write this final blog post, I had already been thinking about it weeks before. I knew from the very first day I started working here that I was going to dread the day I leave, and I knew I would have to write about it. But now that the day is upon me, I fear words may fail to express the range of my thoughts and emotions – there is just so much to say!

But to start, these last two months have been filled with some of the most enriching moments in my life.

Because of this internship, I was given the opportunity to meet and talk with some of the most influential people in education, people who have done so much to change the way we teach the students of this nation. And each time I heard about their accomplishments and what they are striving to do, I was left in awe that I was even able to converse with them, let alone stand in the same room as them! I have been humbled more times than I can count.

Because of this internship, I learned to better value my own talents and abilities, and to not take for granted what others see as worthwhile. We all have our own unique gifts, strengths, and weaknesses that shape who we are, and this internship has allowed me to reevaluate who I am.

Because of this internship, I have made new friendships that I will never, ever forget, and it has helped me strengthen my ties to existing ones.

Because of this internship, and the people of Laying the Foundation/National Math and Science, I have been blessed with one of the best summers of my life. I will always remember the work that I have done here, and the work that the people at this organization do every single day.

And to those people, I would like to say this: Never forget why you are here. Never forget what you are doing. You are changing lives. With every lesson that you compile, with every teacher that you train, with every spreadsheet that you update, you are contributing to the change that our public education system so desperately needs. Your work touches the lives of students and teachers across the nation. You are laying the foundation for change and success. Take pride in that, and continue to strive for excellence. You are all amazing people, and you have my deepest thanks and admiration for all that you do.

I would also like to specifically thank my boss/coworkers, Kaci Schack and Sarah Jensen, for all the encouragement and support they have given me this summer. They have helped me every step of the way, even if that meant letting me run on my own, and their many words of wisdom will never be forgotten.

As for what I will be doing now that my summer is over, in one week I will begin my pursuit of an English degree at Texas A&M University in Commerce. I am extremely excited to embark this new adventure (this will be my first semester at a true university) and I am looking forward to all of the reading and writing that I will be doing (in one course alone, I have to read five different novels outside of the textbook). It is going to be a lot of work, a lot of fun, and I cannot wait to start.

Until we meet again, everyone!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Best wishes,

~Timothy Huneycutt

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs dictates that before we can satisfy safety needs – needs such as security, protection, and stability – we must first meet our physiological needs. To ensure success in our day-to-day lives, we must make sure we are getting healthy meals, restful sleep, and energizing exercise.

Teachers, to ensure success in your classrooms, you must do the same. If you are not well rested, well fed, and energized, your students will notice disturbances in the effectiveness of your teaching.

Now, you may argue that you are putting the needs of your students above yours, that you are staying up late and skipping breakfast because you love your kids so much. But there comes a time when you must take care of yourself before others. A great example is, when you’re on an airplane, you are told to put the oxygen mask over your own mouth before the mouth of your child’s. This is not because they expect you to neglect the child in favor of yourself. In fact, it is the exact opposite. How can you help your child if you can’t even take a breath yourself?

If you don’t place your needs first, you are only hurting yourself. But you can fix that in just three easy steps! With good sleep, a healthy breakfast, and engaging exercise, you can satisfy your own physiological needs, thus allowing you to fully meet the safety needs of your students.

1. You need sleep. According to a 2008 survey conducted by Ball State University researchers, nearly a fourth of educators in the U.S. reported that they suffer so badly from sleep-deprivation that it affects the teaching in their classrooms. And while this study may be dated, the conclusions still hold true. Teachers who do not get enough sleep do not perform well in the classroom. So put down the pen and close the laptop if you feel yourself dozing off the night before class. You need the sleep!
2. You also need to eat breakfast – and not just a bagel or a bowl of dry cereal. To fully rise and shine, Whole Foods blogger Elizabeth Smith says you need to have a breakfast that has “lots of fiber and whole grains, some protein and healthy fat, and as little added sugar as possible.” Simple foods like scrambled eggs with diced veggies, healthy fruit parfaits, or premade wholesome muffins will stay with you all morning and keep you alert and energized.
3. You need to get out there and exercise. And before you say that you don’t have the time, the benefits of daily physical activity are tremendous. You will have more energy for teaching, it will improve your sleep at night so you won’t be napping between classes, and it can help you manage the many stresses of your job.

We all have our busy lives and busy schedules, but teachers, it is vital that you take care of yourselves. You are the people training the next generation of writers, engineers, and, well, teachers! So go to bed at a decent hour, eat a healthy breakfast, and go for a morning jog. Your body – and your students – will thank you.