Christy Garvin
Vaughan Elementary School
Powder Springs, Georgia

I am a teacher at Vaughan Elementary School in Powder Springs, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.  I have been teaching for fourteen years, and have taught kindergarten, fifth grade, and gifted education grades 1-5.  Currently, I am teaching fourth and fifth grade gifted students, and although our curriculum is multidisciplinary, my interest and love is science.

I graduated from Presbyterian College in 1992 with a degree in elementary education and psychology and returned to Kennesaw State University in 2001 to work on a biology degree and then Master’s of Science Education.  I love learning and constantly seek opportunities to expand my horizons and learn new skills. This past summer I joined a coral reef research expedition to Punta Gorda, Belize and helped collect data on the abundance, health, and variety of various fish species in the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve. 

I enjoy participating in aerospace activities and am active in the Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers.  In 1999, I attended a NASA Education Workshop in Langley, Virginia. Our team spent two weeks visiting with and learning from the scientists and engineers in the structures and materials laboratory, wind tunnels, aircraft landing dynamics facility, and the impact dynamics research facility.  We then worked together to develop lesson plans that contained hands-on inquiry based activities based on the work being done at Langley.  In addition to this experience I have attended Space Camp for Educators, Advanced Space Academy and attend the Space Exploration Educator’s Conference on a yearly basis.

Personally, I love adventure and the great outdoors.  I enjoy hiking and camping and occasionally I do a little mountain biking and climbing.  Tennis and ultimate Frisbee are my two favorite sports to play.  Some of my other hobbies are scuba diving, playing the guitar, flying, and painting.

I am very excited about the opportunity to participate in the Spaceward Bound: Mojave Expedition.  I know it will be an incredible learning experience and I can’t wait to learn more about lunar geology and Mars geology and astrobiology.  I am particularly looking forward to sharing the experience with my students, colleagues, and community.