From the Lansing State Journal: https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/education/2026/04/06/as-artemis-ii-heads-to-moon-a-small-town-michigan-teacher-is-headed-to-nasa/89401671007/

In a few months, Dee Smith will make her way from Ashley – a small village of about 500 people located north of Lansing, traveling some 1,300 miles south to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Texas.

Smith will be part of NASA’s LiftOff Summer institute, which provides teachers with information and experiences through speakers, hands-on activities and field investigations that promote space. The 2026 theme is Moon to Mars: A New Era of Discovery, and the institute has been held annually since 1990.

“It still doesn’t feel real,” she said. “I don’t know of anybody who has done this personally, and I just think its a great opportunity for my students because if they don’t get anything else, maybe they will learn that if you just put in a little effort and try, throw your hat in the ring, just maybe, it might be them next time. They just need to know that if they just try they could succeed too.”

Dee Smith, MEA member and teacher for Ashley Schools, is excited to join the NASA LiftOff program to gain hands-on experiences she can bring back to the classroom. Read about her journey here.