WEST CARTHAGE — Hundreds of educators from around the world get the chance every summer to take part in the Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy, and this year Carthage Central High School science teacher Terese S. Bartlett will be one of them.

"One of the first things I remember as a child is my dad teaching me about stars, and it kind of grew from there," Mrs. Bartlett said. "Now, I always teach an earth science unit on astronomy and the students always seem to be really interested."

The academy runs Tuesday through June 23 at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. This year, more than 1,000 teachers applied and about 250 were accepted to the program. To date, Honeywell Educators has sponsored 685 teachers from 35 countries and 48 states to take part in the program. Each teacher selected receives a full scholarship, including tuition, round-trip airfare, meals, accommodations and program materials

Mrs. Bartlett will be the second Jefferson County teacher in two years to attend. Last year, Deborah J. Rowe, an eighth- and ninth-grade earth science teacher at Lyme Central School in Chaumont, completed the weeklong camp.

"I saw the information about it on a Web site and decided to apply for it," Mrs. Bartlett said. "I never dreamed I would actually have a shot at it. But, in March I got the e-mail saying I was accepted."

The teachers participate in 45 hours of intensive classroom, laboratory and training time that focuses on space science and exploration.

They also take part in astronaut training and simulations, learn activities and lesson plans to use in the classroom and participate in two simulated space shuttle missions in which they can be the pilot, commander, flight director or mission specialist.

"I'm really looking forward to bringing the information back to the students," Mrs. Bartlett said. "It's one thing to read about it in a book, but to speak to someone who's been there and been able to take part in it — it's just different. I want to bring back a part of the world back to some of these students who have never been out of the area. It teaches them that there is a lot more out there and a lot of different opportunities available to them."

Mrs. Bartlett has been a teacher in Carthage for six years. She graduated from Immaculate Heart Central High School, Watertown, and received a bachelor of science degree in secondary education from SUNY Oswego and a master of science degree in geo-science from Mississippi State University.