Ball State's Electronic Field Trip "Exploring Nature's Plumbing System," which aired live from Carlsbad Caverns April 25, reached 37 million children and community members from all 50 states and seven countries. The broadcast also featured a very special guest. First lady Laura Bush appeared live in the broadcast from Boston's Charlestown Navy Yard. Mrs. Bush conducted a science experiment with Ball State President Jo Ann M. Gora; Fran Mainella, director of the National Park Service; and students from Boston's Warren-Prescott School.

"In my role as honorary chair of the National Park Foundation, I have visited our National Parks with children from all across the United States and have seen their faces as they discover our land and our history for the first time," Mrs. Bush said. "I'm pleased to support the National Park Foundation in its efforts to ensure that all children have the opportunity to experience America's amazing landscapes and share in the significant milestones of our history."

The broadcast, which was created in collaboration with the National Park Foundation and funded by Best Buy Children's Foundation, celebrated National Park Week and served as the largest-ever simultaneous "visit" to a national park.

The complex broadcasts truly showcased Ball State's ability to deliver cutting-edge digital content, Gora said. Two 90-minute shows aired from Carlsbad Caverns, which involved five different live-shot locations — most of them underground. During the afternoon session, the Electronic Field Trip patched in Mrs. Bush and the special guests from Boston.

The broadcast was also accompanied by a Web site (www.bsu.edu/eft), which is a key part of the program and has been honored by the Center for Digital Education with a Best of the Web award and gold and silver awards at the 2005 World Media Festival. The site provides standards-based curriculum developed by teachers participating in the broadcast. The lesson plans cover geography, mathematics, writing, art and more.

"We were excited to partner with the National Park Foundation to present this Electronic Field Trip," Gora said. "Through the innovative use of interactive technology, millions of children were able to explore one of our national treasures guided by leading experts and using Web-based educational games and lesson plans based on national standards.

"Mrs. Bush was appreciative of the attention that the Electronic Field Trip brought to the national parks and the quality of the educational materials made available to students in an active learning process through the Electronic Field Trip program," she said.