NASA Improves Education Program Shutdown System
Reader comment: “This is mostly amusing. I like how NASA is efficient in its reuse of official pronouncements. I got this e-mail today:”
“As NASA works to implement the Vision for Space Exploration, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is realigning its activities—including its education programs—to most effectively and efficiently support the NASA mission. That means making decisions about priorities, and allocating our human and financial resources to efforts that best contribute to accomplishing our goals.
As a result, we are discontinuing the NASA ALumni EXchange (ALEX) on September 30, 2005. Although it has been a useful service to past participants of NASA education programs, the resources required to support and maintain ALEX are now needed elsewhere.
We believe that you will be able to find all of the resources you need on NASA’s home page, www.nasa.gov, which offers materials for students and educators by grade level. Additionally, you will find resources for informal educators. You can also find information about specific NASA Education programs on the NASA Education portal site, http://education.nasa.gov. Thank you for your support of the ALEX site throughout the years. Please feel free to contact us if you need assistance finding resources on the NASA Web site.
Kind regards,
Jeff Ehmen, ALEX program manager”
Compare and contrast with the notice that the Great Moonbuggy Race was being cancelled last month:
“As NASA works to implement the Vision for Space Exploration, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center is realigning its activities – including its education programs – to most effectively and efficiently support the NASA mission. That means making decisions about priorities, and allocating our human and financial resources to efforts that best contribute to accomplishing our goals.
“As a result, we must terminate the Great Moonbuggy Race, which we had conducted annually since 1994. Although it has been a popular and worthwhile educational event, the Great Moonbuggy Race required considerable resources which are now needed elsewhere.”
Given this template, anyone can write their own NASA Education program cancellation press release.
