DoDEA

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — May 31, 2007 — In 6th-grade, Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) teacher and former JASON Argonaut, Christine Arnold, involved student, Lewis Hahn, in The JASON Project: Disappearing Wetlands project. In 7th-grade, Hahn participated in the Mysteries of Earth and Mars Project. Now in 8th-grade, Hahn will be named JASON student Argonaut for the 2007 to 2008 school year. 

The JASON project is a subsidiary of the National Geographic Society. The project focuses on helping students learn science and math concepts through hands-on learning, and is named after the popular Greek Myth, Jason and the Argonauts. Students and teachers selected to go on expedition with the researchers are called Argonauts.

Hahn, a student at Stephen Decatur Middle and High School, in Sigonella, Italy, competed against students throughout the United States and Mexico and was selected as one of nine students to participate in the next JASON Project: Aquatic Ecology.

Hahn will travel to Milwaukee, Wisconsin this summer to attend JASON boot camp; the camp prepares Argonauts for their upcoming field assignments. The training session runs from June 24 to July 1st. Hahn will team up with a JASON teacher Argonaut, a host researcher and film crew to learn more about the Mission Field Assignment he will attend later this summer. This year the theme for the camp is Aquatic Ecology.

Sixth grade DoDEA students participate in the Disappearing Wetlands project to learn more about the vanishing ecosystems that provide habitats for a number of different plants and animals. The program integrates well with DoDEA science, social studies and language arts curriculum and uses thematic approaches to teaching.

"I enjoyed the Disappearing Wetlands Expeditions in 6th-grade, and I remember discussing the Wetlands environments, the types of organisms living there, the climate and geography and the possible reasons for the Wetlands' disappearance," said Hahn. "Then in 7th-grade, as we studied Mysteries of Earth and Mars, I enjoyed gaining a more in depth knowledge of our solar system."

Hahn had to complete an extensive application which included writing about a topic in science or technology that he found interesting, and about a challenge he faced and how he met that challenge. In addition to the application he had to submit a video describing why he wanted to become an Argonaut.

Hahn is an active member of the Mt. Etna Chapter National Junior Honor Society and has his Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) open water dive certification. He also developed a learning garden at Stephen Decatur Elementary School as an Eagle Scout project. Hahn will be a freshman at Zama High School in the fall.

Congratulations and best wishes Lewis!

For more information on the JASON Project at DoDDS-E schools contact:

Faye Batey
DoDDS-E Jason Project Coordinator
DSN 338-7218
Civ (49) 0611-380-7218

For interviews with Lewis Hahn through principal
Stephen Decatur M/HS (Sigonella)
DSN 624-4281
Civ (39) 095-56-3248

For more information of the JASON Project visit: www.jasonproject.org