Regional Leaders
		Susan Cook  Superintendent Homestead National Historical Park  National Park Service
		Bobbie Roshone Park Ranger (Interpretation) Niobrara National Scenic River National Park Service
		Amber Kirkendall Interpretive Ranger Homestead National Historical Park  National Park Service
		Amy Genke Program Manager for Interpretation and Resource Management Homestead National Historical Park  National Park Service
		Annette Weise  Director of Alternative Programs, Science and Math Professional Development Educational Service Unit #5
		Jesse Bolli Natural Resource Program Manager Homestead National Historical Park  National Park Service
		Solveig Perrett Park Ranger Niobrara National Scenic River National Park Service

Team Nebraska Prairie Home serves informal and formal educators throughout Nebraska with connections to the Great Plains. 

The themes of our team are home, water and exploration.  These tie to the themes of both Homestead National Historical Park and Niobrara National Scenic River. We tie into what people need to live. Water is an essential part of life.  The Oglala Aquifer sits below all of Nebraska, a prime resource to teach about.  We will focus from the microhabitats in yards to the large scale of exploring other planets to see what can support life, as both parks have night sky programs.  In Nebraska, homesteaders were exploring new territories and figuring out how to survive there, which is a story of both parks.  Community was a part of that, just as we all need a support system. We hope to engage people in supporting the environment in their communities. 

We will talk about the tallgrass prairie. It is considered the world's most endangered ecosystem and can be found in and near Homestead National Historical Park.  Niobrara National Scenic River sits in the Sandhills, the largest vegetated sand dunes in the world.  They are covered in prairie. 

Our workshop will help teachers and informal educators prepare to teach about the next flight of the NASA Artemis mission to the moon, in ways that tie into the national and state curriculum.  Our team's support from Educational Service Unit #5 will lead to the creation of curriculum-based plans for various subjects from K-12. 

This team initially attended the Earth to Sky Academy in October 2022 with a focus on the Niobrara River Watershed (see selection announcement). After reformulating their plans to encompass all of Nebraska, the expanded team attended the Earth to Sky Academy in the autumn of 2026. Earth to Sky regional teams go through a competitive application process and attend an intensive train-the-trainer in NASA Earth science, communication techniques, and Earth to Sky methodology. After completing the Academy, each team offers at least two Earth science communication courses in their region, while serving as a resource and focal point for their community on an ongoing basis. 

Stay tuned to hear more about our plans!

A sunrise above the prairie. Photo courtesy of NPS Homestead National Park.