SPACE CAMP OFFERS GIANT LEAP FOR TEACHER NASA FACILITY LETS HIM LEAVE GRAVITY BEHIND.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - New Vista Middle School sixth-grade teacher John Brotze went to summer camp and experienced the rigors of astronaut training, including what it feels like to walk, run and jump on the moon.

At Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., Brotze was harnessed to a tethered one-sixth gravity chair, so called because humans weigh one-sixth of their weight on the moon.

``You can jump 25 feet at a time being in the chair,'' said Brotze, 44. ``They have a mock moon surface that you are performing different types of locomotion on. It's phenomenal. I wish I could take that back to the classroom.''

Brotze was one of 30 teachers from around the world who attended the camp last week at the center, courtesy of the Boeing Co.

Teachers from 13 states, along with educators from the United Kingdom, Australia, Russia, Italy and Japan participated in a weeklong series of simulated space missions, astronaut training and lectures by experts in rocketry and space exploration.

Graduation ceremonies were planned Sunday, the anniversary of the first moon landing by Apollo 11 in 1969.

The center is a facility of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration that provides education in the areas of science, math and technology to children and educators.

``They do a wonderful job in educating the teacher on how to take space and exploration back to the classroom,'' said Randy Maier, manager of Boeing Education Relations. ``It gives them the tools and techniques to take back to the classroom to keep kids interested.''

Boeing offered a scholarship to attend the camp to the Lancaster School District, which in turn handed it over to New Vista. The school principal chose Brotze to attend.

Brotze also did a flight simulation involving the International Space Station and a space shuttle. He wore a space suit and did a ``space walk.''

``This is a dream, an in-service dream for any educator. I really appreciate Boeing for giving me this opportunity,'' Brotze said. ``It's an opportunity to learn some things that you can't learn anywhere else. It's my responsibility to come back as an ambassador and share with the other teachers and make sure kids get an opportunity to experience this.''

While Brotze won't be able to bring the gravity chair back with him to Lancaster, he will be returning with projects for his students, such as making air rockets, that he hopes will blend science and math with having fun.

Air rockets are made out of 2-liter bottles that are stabilized with fins and launched with a bicycle pump or compressor, Brotze said. By charting the launch distance and figuring out angle measurements, students can determine the actual altitude, he said.

``It's exciting. That's part of it. With kids and science, it can be very dull and dry. To bring this in, it lights a fire and makes them want to learn more,'' Brotze said.

Boeing has sent teachers to the camp for 12 years. Since 1992, nearly 300 teachers have taken part in the program and those teachers have reached more than 23,000 students, Boeing officials said.

The program provides educators with many of the resources they need to inspire and motivate their students to learn more about math, science and space, Boeing officials said.

``Space Camp provides a learning environment where science, math and technology are explored and practiced through the mysteries and wonders of space,'' said Julie Ferriss, director of education at the center. ``For educators, Space Camp provides a place to become a learner again and to join with other educators who share the same passions for teaching and learning.''

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com

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Vista Middle School teacher John Brotze marvels at the technology at U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., where he attended Space Camp.