Dr. Richard Clark
Expeditions are journeys made by people who share a definite purpose and specific experiences. To make their expeditions successful, NASA works with astronaut crews on skills that prepare them to live and work together during space missions. Some of these same skills are useful in everyday life here on Earth. 4-H is a positive youth development program that prepares youth for life and work. Together, NASA and 4-H are creating the following series of activities designed to take you through various educational expeditions that will help you learn and practice skills that you can apply in almost every aspect of life. Click on the following links for educational materials to use with 4-H members and schools.
Self Care/Team Care: Preparing for the Voyage
Before you can contribute to a team, you must first be able to take responsibility for yourself. This ability includes being mentally, physically and emotionally ready to go on the voyage. Everyone has the occasional difficult day, so knowing how to support your team members is also important. This section will strengthen your ability to care for yourself and your team.
Cultural Competency: Embarking on Pilgrimages
Pilgrimages are searches that help people understand their personal beliefs and recognize how and why they have those beliefs. The activities in this section take you beyond your own beliefs and teach you how to understand, appreciate and value the beliefs of others. Only in creating paths that allow the team to work together can you move forward in your expeditions.
Leadership/Followership: The Challenge of the Quest
Lots of people like to be the leader, but leaders need a team to follow them. Different quests re- quire different skills, which means different types of leaders are needed throughout an expedi- tion. Understanding when to lead and when to follow, and the importance of both roles, will be explored in this section.
Teamwork Communication: Launching Into Orbit
This section takes everything you’ve learned and puts it into action. To launch your expedition into orbit, everyone on the team needs to do their part. Of course, that begins with knowing what each person’s part is, making sure team members are ready to perform their part and that they get it done, and dealing with any unexpected challenges that develop along the way. Launching an expedition, like teamwork, takes practice and patience. Full link to the webpage.
