(Left to right): Jackie Kessler (Bowdle, SD), Spencer Cody (Roscoe, SD), Bree Oatman (Lower Brule, SD), and Tom Durkin of SD Space Grant Consortium at SDSM&T (Rapid City, SD)

• Jackie Kessler (Bowdle School District in Bowdle, SD) and Spencer Cody (Edmonds Central School District in Roscoe, SD) each won a $3,750 award for their joint project titled: “Totally Eclipsed: Space Science Content and Career Interest Activation.”  They are each taking seven students from their schools (14 middle and high school students) to the April 8, 2024, Total Solar Eclipse in Texas, including a visit to NASA JSC.  Theirs is an inter-school coordination project focused on earth and space science experiences designed to inspire students to pursue STEM careers and gauge their interest in doing so.  Although not traveling to Texas for the total eclipse, just over 100 additional students back at Bowdle and 130 at Roscoe will also participate in the eclipse / career interest activation project.
   
• Bree Oatman from Lower Brule High School won a $2,500 award for her project titled: “Plants in the Universe: Students learning about plants growing in difficulty.”  This project will annually engage about 60-75 students in STEM inquiry focusing on plant growth in extreme environments including simulated microgravity conditions and looking at hydroponics and the role of soil chemistry on plant growth.