Washington Aerospace Scholars
Applications are reviewed and offers made on a rolling basis until positions are filled. Applications for the 2026-27 cohort will not be accepted after 11:59pm, Thursday, October 1st, 2026.
Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS) is seeking WA middle and high school teachers to evaluate online coursework from November until March, and to participate as an academic facilitator during a six-day summer residency held in July and August at The Museum of Flight.
In addition to the content of the university level curriculum, participants also have opportunities to interact with professionals working in STEM fields, tour engineering and research facilities, work with highly engaged and motivated students, and learn new techniques for demonstrating STEM concepts in their classrooms.
The ideal candidates are certified teachers or those enrolled in pre-cert programs with experience teaching mathematics, science or technology-related courses. Experience with chaperoning student trips or camps is beneficial, but not required. Continuous access to the internet and e-mail are essential.
Phase One (Late October to March): Online Curriculum
The WAS curriculum was developed in partnership with NASA and the University of Washington, and focuses on the science of aviation & space, history of robotic and human space travel, and opportunities for further human exploration. Each lesson includes several assessment tasks, collectively called a module:
- Reading Material
- Reading Quiz
- Math Problem
- Research-based Technical Essay or Video (some lessons also include supporting graphics)
- Online Chat or Forum
- Lab
Students and teachers access the curriculum via a Canvas web-portal maintained by WAS. Teachers are provided answers and grading rubrics for each lesson, and are expected to give assignment feedback for each lesson, starting in November and ending in March. We estimate that teachers will spend 4-5 hours per week evaluating student work during this phase.
In addition, we will ask teachers to host 1 online office hour per month (to be set by the teacher) via the Canvas website for their students.
Phase Two (Six-days in July or August): Summer Residency
The focus of the residency is the design of a human mission to Mars. Students are guided by industry mentors, university students, and teachers as they participate in challenges and activities. Students are divided into four teams of approximately ten students each to plan this mission. Teams are:
- Mission Integration
- Getting There (& Back)
- Living There
- Working There
Additionally, participants receive briefings from professionals and attend tours of engineering facilities and laboratories. The Summer Residency is both a cooperative and a competitive experience. Mornings center on the design of the mission to Mars, afternoons are spent interacting with experts in the aerospace field, and the evening brings students a number of competitive, hands-on engineering challenges.
The teacher's primary responsibility during this time is to supervise and support students for the entire six-days at the residency location, including overnight in dorms, and on tours. Program starts on Sunday at 11:30 AM and ends the following Friday at 2:30 PM.
Online Academic Evaluator expectations and pay:
We estimate that teachers will be responsible for grading up to 20 scholars for the duration of Phase One and will spend between 4-5 hours per week evaluating scholar assignments, and host 1 live online office-hour per month. All teachers will be required to attend an online Orientation. For their evaluation work, teachers can receive up to $2500.
Summer Residency Academic Facilitator expectations and pay:
Teachers invited to the Summer Residency are responsible for supervising scholars at a local hotel for the entire experience.Teachers will receive $1500 for their participation in a six-day residency.
In addition, all room & board (including transportation to/from the hotel) is provided by the WAS Foundation. Further, teachers may be able to apply for free STEM clock hours.
Period of Performance:
Online Academic Evaluator: Late October - March
Summer Residency Academic Facilitator: Teachers participate in one of the three residency weeks hosted in July or August.
Required Application Materials:
Please have the following materials ready to upload at the end of this online application. You can also mail, fax or email the required materials separately, if needed.
- A letter indicating your interest in becoming a WAS Online Academic Evaluator and what strengths/experiences you feel you would bring to the experience. Please describe any experience you have had with online learning courses as either a student or educator, and how you currently integrate such experiences in your classroom.
- A résumé outlining your professional and academic background.
- One letter of recommendation from your current supervisor.
- A copy of your current Washington State Teaching Certificate.