The franklin institute (TFI) proposes mission to mars: a nationwide outreach program that will catalyze dozens of national and community partnerships and galvanize ten communities across the country…

The franklin institute (TFI) proposes mission to mars: a nationwide outreach program that will catalyze dozens of national and community partnerships and galvanize ten communities across the country around NASA s space exploration agenda. Using evidence-based strategies to create ecosystems of engagement that surround communities with dynamic astronomy-based learning opportunities TFI will effectively deliver on NASA s objective to connect the public with its moon-to-mars missions and learning resources. The mission to mars (M2M) program relies on a cascading series of professional development experiences that will equip informal science institutions (isis) community-based organizations (cbos) and amateur astronomers (AAS) with the skills and resources to develop and deploy high-quality astronomy engagement experiences for families and youth in grades 4-8 with an emphasis on those who are under-resourced or under-represented in stem fields. The project is designed to advance NASA s strategic objective 3.3 by creating NASA-unique stem learning opportunities for families and youth and providing support and resources to informal education institutions in order to reach and engage. To these ends the PIS have identified the following objectives: 1. Build the capacity of isis including museums science centers planetariums and science festival hosts to serve as community connectors conveners and science communicators around astronomy and space exploration 2. Build the capacity of cbos to serve their communities with compelling family learning experiences that promote stem engagement 3. Build the capacity of amateur astronomers to serve as ambassadors for NASA s missions and to communicate effectively about astronomy and space exploration to the general public 4. Catalyze relationships between isis cbos and amateur astronomers that drive engagement with astronomy and space exploration are sustainable over time and can be reactivated again and again 5. Engage under-resourced / under-represented youth in authentic stem experiences that promote diversity and inclusion in stem activities and careers project partners include the NASA museum alliance NASA space science education consortium at NASA goddard space flight center association of science and technology centers NASA night sky network science festival alliance astronomical league and astronomical society of the pacific.