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Calvert County Public Schools Teacher Selected for NASA LiftOff Institute

Liftoff 2026. Moon to Mars. A new era of discovery.
Calvert County Public Schools Teacher Selected for NASA LiftOff Institute
Calvert County Public Schools Teacher Selected for NASA LiftOff Institute

Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) is proud to announce that Holly Fallica, a teacher at Calvert Middle School, has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2026 LiftOff Summer Institute.

Fallica with Ecology Project International fellows in Costa Rica, posing on the beach near the ocean under a cloudy sky, standing and kneeling behind a small sand sculpture shaped like an animal’s face with shells and seaweed. Waves and scattered seaweed are visible in the background.

Ecology Project International fellows in Costa Rica.

This nationally competitive program sponsored by the University of Texas Center for Space Research and Maryland Space Grant selects teachers who will increase their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math through space education.

LiftOff is a nationally competitive program sponsored by the University of Texas Center for Space Research and the Maryland Space Grant Consortium in partnership with NASA. The program brings together educators from across the country to deepen their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through immersive space-focused learning experiences.

This year’s theme, Moon to Mars: A New Era of Discovery, highlights NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years and establish a foundation for future missions to Mars. Participants will engage in hands-on activities, field investigations, and sessions led by NASA scientists, engineers, and industry experts.

Selected educators will attend the institute June 22–26, 2026, where they will collaborate with peers from across the nation, explore current developments in space research, and develop innovative instructional strategies. Upon returning, participants are expected to integrate their learning into classroom instruction and share resources and strategies with colleagues across their school systems.

Fallica with Ecology Project International Fellows seated around a wooden table under a covered outdoor shelter, examining printed identification guides and papers. Small tools, a green sieve, specimen containers, backpacks, and a water bottle are on the table, with a grassy field and dense trees visible in the background.

Fallica with Ecology Project International Fellows in Cost Rica.

Additionally, Fallica has been invited to participate in another NASA-affiliated teacher summer institute. She will also serve as a STEAM in the Park Ambassador this summer in Acadia National Park, Maine, where she will lead a camp in partnership with National Park Service rangers and educators from across the country. She was also recently selected for a competitive fellowship with Ecology Project International in Costa Rica, where she worked with scientists and research teams studying leatherback sea turtle conservation. Fallica was the only educator selected from Maryland and one of just 15 participants from across the United States and Canada. These opportunities reflect her leadership in STEM and environmental education and her commitment to bringing real-world learning experiences back to CCPS students.

CCPS congratulates Ms. Fallica on these outstanding achievements and looks forward to the impact her experience will have on students and staff across the district.

Learn More About LiftOff Summer Institute Program