As part of our Connect a Million Minds initiative here at YNN, we've been bringing you stories about inspiring youth to develop science, technology and math skills. Our latest story comes out of the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, which is hoping to spark interest in those areas with a unique program. Our Kaitlyn Lionti was there as some teachers learned firsthand how the program works.

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"They were having a solar flare and it was our job to make sure the astronauts were safe and that the International Space Station was in one piece," said Elmira City School District teacher Nicole Burt.

The activity was part of a training session at the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center. The center will use distance learning technology to access educational missions created by Challenger Learning Centers in West Virginia and Alaska. The goal is for students to be able to participate in activities that bring learning to life.

"The students are actually able to participate in the problem-solving event interactively, much as they would if they were in mission control," said Michael Hall, President of Wings of Eagles Discovery Center.

The missions include a variety of topics, all designed to take skills like math and science to a new level.

"We ask them to interpret the data, interpret the graphs and then to make recommendations about what these data sets really mean for real people in a real crisis situation," said Kathleen Frank.

And Frank says one of the benefits of the program is that it doesn't just appeal to advanced students. Students of all levels can appreciate the experience.

"They become much more interested in the STEM subject areas and in affect they're looking at it now like, 'Oh, this is something I may do. This is something I can do,'" Frank said.

"It's hands on, it's something they can get really excited about and it might also get them thinking about careers in those science, technology, engineering and math fields," Burt said.

And maybe one day solve problems on the International Space Station for real.

Teachers can start arranging field trips to the Discovery Center for the mission program as early as this month.

Time Warner Cable and News 10 Now are committed to The Connect a Million Minds program. For more information, visit www.connectamillionminds.com.