University of Wisconsin - Extension

Her destination was secondary. Ieshia Johnson counted the days until she could meet the man best known for discovering the R.M.S. Titanic.

Once in Alaska, her hope was realized when she met Robert Ballard, the explorer and scientist who led the JASON XIII: Frozen Worlds expedition.

One of just 24 ¿student argonauts¿

On Jan. 28, the ninth-grade student at Juneau High School in Milwaukee, embarked on An 11-day trek to Anchorage with the JASON Project, a yearlong science program designed to bring the thrill of discovery into the classroom. She was selected from thousands of applicants worldwide as one of 24 ¿student argonauts¿ to participate on-site in the program.

Hands-on discovery

A highlight was helping to dissect a seal at the Sea World Life and Habitat Center in

Steward. Ieshia¿s onsite teacher, Marla Kreider, said that as she and Ieshia took blood sample after blood sample from various seals using strict laboratory procedures, she realized she was working with a naturally inquisitive young woman who asked thoughtful questions.

Expedition shared via satellite

Cathie Sanders, coordinator of the UWM JASON Project, conducted a video interview with Ieshia prior to her selection as an argonaut. ¿Ieshia¿s ease in front of a video camera helped her convey the ¿you are there¿ experience the JASON project creates via live satellite broadcasts to educators and students throughout the world,¿ she says.

The JASON Project¿s yearlong program offered her a familiar footing. She has participated in expeditions via satellite and live broadcasts from her classroom including the JASON XII: Hawaii: A Living Laboratory.

Remote locations offer challenges and learning

Caroline Joyce, director of Content and Professional Development for the JASON Foundation for Education and JASON site director for University Outreach of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, noted that traveling to frozen climes is far from the norm for the JASON PROJECT.

¿It¿s harder to bring people to remote locations. ¿We were concerned about avalanches and were afraid that the cameras would fog up,¿ she said. ¿Actually there was green grass growing, the glaciers were moving to the south, and we saw the Northern Lights. The kids even went sledding since we were there at the same time training for the Iditerod was in

tow.¿

¿A brand new feature this year is that we were able to broadcast directly into other schools as a theater experience,¿ Joyce adds.

The Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara in California will be the location for the JASON Project in 2003.

For more information: http://www.jasonproject.org">www.jasonproject.org/ or (414) 227-3366.