As a physical education teacher, West Virginia University graduate student Shannon R. Bandish Nash, is used to coming up with innovative strategies to keep children excited about health and fitness.

She never dreamed her ideas would take her to the stars though.

This summer, Bandish Nash created fitness activities for 4,000 8- to 12-year-olds from all over the world as part of Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut, an initiative of the NASA Human Research Program Education and Outreach team.

One of Bandish Nash’s ideas involved outfitting the children with scooters, which they used to navigate the rough terrain of an artificially created celestial surface at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The goal was to help them develop upper and lower body strength through rigorous maneuvering.

“Being a physical educator, I never thought there would be an outlet to work with NASA,” said Bandish Nash, a master’s student in WVU’s College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. “I am proud that I have the opportunity to personally make a difference.”

Mission X’s activities were based on real astronaut training and highlighted the importance of physical activity and living a healthy lifestyle. The activities, which focused on collaboration rather than competition, may someday be incorporated into classrooms.

“This summer, Shannon has applied her WVU training and real-world experience in physical education to NASA’s Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut program,” said NASA’s Judith Hayes, a member of the CPASS Visiting Committee. “Shannon has made important contributions to this international educational challenge and has been a great addition to the NASA team.”

In coming up with ideas, Bandish Nash familiarized herself with astronauts’ physical training, their experiences with reduced and zero gravity and their approaches to physical activity while aboard an International Space Station.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education Teacher Education in 2009, which she says gave her excellent preparation to participate in Mission X.

“I was so grateful that I went to WVU,” Bandish Nash said. “Thanks to my education, I was completely confident in my ability in overcome any obstacles.”

-WVU-

kc/09/02/11

CONTACT: Kimberly Cameon, CPASS
304-293-0827, Kimberly.Cameon@mail.wvu.edu

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