Mississippi State University’s INSPIRE program has Earth and space graduate students partnering with schools in the Columbus and Starkville area. The grad students, with teachers’ guidance, give local middle and high school students a better understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills.
INSPIRE, an acronym for Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education, is sponsored by a five year National Science Foundation Grade k-12 grant. This is the fourth year of the program. 
This semester, 13 MSU students are enlisted as INSPIRE Fellows.  They are partnered with Deb Pounders and Patricia Cochran, seventh and eighth grade teachers at Columbus Middle School; Kelli Dawkins and Brenda Jackson, 10th-12th grade teachers of chemistry, physics and biology; and Nathan Dufour who teaches geometry, algebra and physics at Columbus High School. 
Darrel Schmitz, principal investigator for INSPIRE, said the program aims to rid the idea that science and math are too hard or too boring.
“This program gives the Fellows the opportunity to be able to relate complex concepts in a way that is simple and fun. We are able to bring research to these classrooms that might not be able to have them otherwise. The graduates create hands-on activities that meet both the national and the state requirements,” Schmitz said. “Many that go into the STEM field are not particularly smarter than the rest. They just apply what they have learned to the environment around them. We want to encourage these kids to have an interest in understanding how the things around them work.”
Sarah Radencic, MSU geosciences project coordinator, said the teachers played a key role in the success of the program and are involved in the whole process — fellows are working closely with teachers and they are often involved with projects.
“When school starts, the graduates spend around 10 hours a week in their designated teacher’s classroom. They help the grads pick and administer their planned activities. Several graduates have gotten to travel internationally, and sometimes the teachers get to go as well,” Radencic said. “We want teachers to also have a greater appreciation about what they do and to see the link that STEM has to the classroom on a global scale. Once they return teachers and graduates make lesson plans based on their travels.”
Nathan Owen, current NSF Graduate Fellow who works with Kelli Dawkins at Starkville High School, said this program benefits everyone involved.
“The program directors are gathering valuable data for researching students’ enthusiasm in STEM subjects.  The Graduate Fellows are gaining experience in communicating complicated scientific theories to general audiences,” Owen said. “The teachers are discovering innovative ways to tie lessons in the classroom with broader real-world examples.  Finally, the students in the classrooms are benefiting from lessons they normally would not get to experience. “
Owen said he has learned a few things about himself because of the program and urges any interested graduates to expand their comfort zones and join this program.
“This program has taught me a lot about time management.  As an undergraduate, I could procrastinate and still get my work done.  Balancing this program with graduate classes and graduate research has forced me to get work done as soon as possible,” Owen said. “Overall, the program is a very rewarding experience that you won’t regret.  Don’t be intimidated by the time commitment required at the start.”
INSPIRE currently takes applications for fall semester Fellows. The application can be found at www.gk12.msstate.edu. Only graduates majoring in the STEM field and in their second year or later are encouraged to apply. The applications are due by Feb. 5.