During kickoff of the NASA Explorer School program at Warrington Middle School in Pensacola Fla.

During kickoff of the NASA Explorer School program at Warrington Middle School in Pensacola, Fla., Center Director Jim Kennedy talks to students and faculty. Seated at left is Christine Nixon, principal of Warrington Middle School. Joining Kennedy for the event was NASA aerospace specialist Les Gold, NASA official Gregg Buckingham, and astronaut Alan Poindexter. Kennedy is visiting the school to share the vision for space exploration with the next generation. He is talking with students about our destiny as explorers, NASA’s stepping stone approach to exploring Earth, the moon, Mars and beyond, how space impacts our lives, and how people and machines rely on each other in space. NES establishes a three-year partnership annually between NASA and 50 NASA Explorer School teams, consisting of teachers and education administrators from diverse communities nationwide. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston