North Dakota's Gateway to Science has a partnership with Touchmark on West Century Retirement Community in Bismarck, ND to provide meaningful learning experiences for residents. This partnership started thanks to the Franklin Institute and a Mission2Mars grant. Mission2Mars is a nationwide engagement program catalyzing community partnerships across the country around NASA's space exploration agenda, connecting the public with its Moon-to-Mars missions and learning resources. The goal of Mission2Mars is to create community-based ecosystems of engagement around NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program. NDGTS was one of ten informal science institutions selected for the Mission2Mars program. Touchmark on West Century Retirement Community is just one of the many community-based organizations partnering with them in this work.
“I find it especially impactful because these residents are considered the Apollo generation,” says Hope Burdolski, Outreach & Education Director at NDGTS. “We utilized Orbiting Objects and Craters from the Explore Science: Earth and Space toolkit as well as the tactile books (part of the Accessibility and Inclusion Bundle from the 2020 toolkit; additional tactile resources can be found at nisenet.org/blind-low-vision). We have also done science center visits with a workshop to encourage the residents to be lifelong learners.”
Burdolski talks about one of her favorite events that brought multiple generations together to learn about Artemis. “Our minicamp students made tie blankets using math and patterns in the morning, and our Touchmark residents joined us in the afternoon for a space-related activity. The group engineered lunar landers, had hot chocolate, and donated the blankets to the residents to take home!”
For Touchmark residents this has been an incredible opportunity to not only learn about the Artemis Missions, but to also explore everything that North Dakota's Gateway to Sciencehas to offer. Last summer the organizations partnered for their Longest Day event and raised funds for Alzheimer's Disease. “We continue to work together over the course of the year, and plan to continue our partnership after the grant to promote lifelong learning!” says Burdolski.
We greatly appreciate and applaud these efforts, and thank North Dakota's Gateway to Science for using the NISE Network resources to promote access, inclusion, and life long learning!