Thirty-seven fourth-grade students from the Rosholt School District are beginning a year-long journey into Earth science through NASA DISCOVERIES, a national STEM education program facilitated locally by the Wisconsin Lions Foundation.
DISCOVERIES, which stands for Developing Interconnected STEM Communities of Vested Educational Relevance in Earth Science, provides students with an opportunity to participate in authentic science activities while connecting with NASA scientists and other students across the country. The 2026–27 school-year program launched Thursday, September 24, at the Wisconsin Lions Foundation. During their first session, students met virtually with Tina Harte Ballinger, founder of the NASA DISCOVERIES program. Students also began developing their observation skills and learned about standard and non-standard measurements.
As the school year progresses, students will collect their own environmental data by taking surface temperature readings and making cloud observations. Students will work together in small groups known as Crews, collaborating on their data collection and observations. Their work will culminate in May 2027, when the students will present their findings through poster presentations. Students will also have opportunities throughout the school year to meet virtually with NASA scientists and learn about their educational and professional journeys into science. These interactions provide students with a firsthand connection to the people behind the science they are studying.
“This program gives our students the opportunity to see that science isn’t something that only happens in a laboratory or somewhere far away,” said Phillip Potter, Public Relations Director for the Wisconsin Lions Foundation and instructor of the Wisconsin NASA DISCOVERIES program. “They are collecting real data, working as a team and connecting with scientists who can share their own journeys. We hope these experiences help students see the possibilities that are available to them.”
This is the third year that the Wisconsin Lions Foundation has facilitated NASA DISCOVERIES. The program is also expanding its reach this year, with groups of students in South Carolina and California participating in their own sessions.
The Wisconsin Lions Foundation provides the instructor time, supplies and facility needed to conduct the program. At the national level, NASA Langley Science Activation and NASA contractor ADNET Systems, Inc. provide support and oversight. Local Rosholt businesses and community supporters also help make the program possible by sponsoring lunches for students during their visits to the Foundation.
For students in a rural community, NASA DISCOVERIES provides a unique opportunity to participate in a national STEM program while conducting hands-on science in their own community. Through observations, data collection, collaboration and interactions with NASA scientists, students are encouraged to explore science and consider what their own future journeys might look like. The Wisconsin Lions Foundation is proud to help provide these fourth-grade students with an experience that can spark curiosity, build confidence and inspire the next generation of scientists and leaders.
