The National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) - Plans for the Future!

The National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) is an educational organization whose purpose is the advancement, stimulation, extension, improvement, and coordination of Earth Science education at all educational levels, especially at the pre-college level. NESTA members serve in K - 12 classrooms across the country, linked electronically by its website, and through its journal, The Earth Scientist. NESTA communicates regularly with its membership through its ENews Newsletter, as well as through its listserve. At national and regional conferences sponsored by the National Science Teachers Association, NESTA provides Share-a-thons in which teachers share successful activities with colleagues, and Rock Raffles to distribute useful classroom samples. NESTA also collaborates with and supports activities of associated organizations, including AGI, AGU, AMS, GSA, and NAGT. During Summer 2006, NESTA held a Strategic Planning Workshop to create plans and programs to support secondary and elementary teachers of Earth Science across the country. Topics discussed included NESTA's organizational vision, mission, and values as well as goals and objectives for the organization over the coming decade. NESTA is entering an exciting time of change and expanding service for its membership, and looks forward to continuing its service to the geoscience education community, working together with others interested in pre-college Earth Science teaching.