Hartnell College Planetarium Director Andy Newton was honored with the "Educator of the Year" award by the Fremont Peak Observatory Association at the association’s annual fundraising star party and barbeque on August 2.

The event, held at the observatory in Fremont Peak State Park, was attended by more than 150 astronomy educators, amateur astronomers, and night sky enthusiasts from the region. The event is co-sponsored by the Astronomical Association of Northern California.

Newton was recognized for his role in establishing and implementing the Hartnell College student internship program. The program, now in its third year, "has made a tremendous contribution to the success of the educational mission of the Fremont Peak Observatory," said Observatory Association Board President Doug Brown.

This summer, six Hartnell science students staffed the observatory’s Saturday evening public astronomy programs. Those student interns are Miguel Rodriquez, Maria Uribe, Fabian Hernandez, Christina Gonzalez, Timothy Fuller, and Victor Zarate.

Interns are instructed in project management principles, use of the observatory’s powerful 30 inch reflecting telescope, and scientific research. Two interns, Rodriguez and Hernandez, have collected data for NASA on potentially threatening earth-crossing asteroids. The internship program is supported by the Fremont Peak Observatory and a NASA Curriculum Improvement Partnership Award grant.