NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Leah Jackson (jacksonl@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

12/01/2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Northwestern State University's "What's Up In Space" website has been reinvented to make it more interactive and stimulating to young minds interested in space science. The website can be found by logging on to http://www.spacesciencegroup.org/wuis/.

"It's an old concept that we have completed recreated and made really cool," said Patty Varnado, managing director of NSU's Space Science Group. "We've turned the website into a kid-friendly interactive current events page that is updated weekly. It will interest kids of all ages."

What's Up In Space (WUIS) has been an active link on the Space Science Group webpage for about three years and was used mainly to post articles too grown-up for children. Now the site features bright colors, contemporary topics, interactive links, space games and daily factoids. The site is still under development with new features being added.

"We are trying to make What's Up In Space a valuable tool for middle school teachers," Varnado said. In addition to middle school classrooms, "The Space Science Group's 'Science: Out of This World' curriculum is being used by home schoolers. WUIS is a complimentary resource to help spark further interest in space science."

Feedback has been positive.

"Teachers are using the information in their science lessons and are finding that the students are anxious to log in and read the material presented on the website."

The Space Science Group encourages the use of educational materials from all four of their programs, all of which are free of charge.

"I believe if the site is for kids, then it should be kid-friendly and fun," Varnado said. "Fun while learning is important. I won't be happy until it is every middle schooler's favorite website. I want them to be anxious to log in to read the daily factoid and anticipate the content update that happens every Friday."

For more information on the What's Up In Space website and other Space Science Group programs, contact Varnado at (318) 357-5186 or e-mail her at varnadop@nsula.edu.

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