Christine Hirst Bernhardt has been teaching at West Ranch High School for the past 11 years. She taught Earth Science throughout her career and astronomy nearly as long. She created the school's astronomy class and has grown the program to include launching student experiments into space on a high altitude balloon and building CubeSats. The high altitude balloon program has successfully launched nearly 50 authentic, student driven experiments to space including two firsts for any public institution in the US. This year, she is beginning the first phase of an astronomy pathway at the high school. Her aerospace engineering program is in it's second year and she is in her third year as an adjunct astronomy/physical science professor at College of the Canyons. Christine recently received her second master’s degree in Space Studies with a concentration in planetary science. She loves teaching and has always taught in some facet or another. In addition to working with other students on a NASA Human Spaceflight proposal, her individual research focused on the geochemistry and mineralogy of asteroid Vesta and the connection to HED meteorites from data supplied by the Dawn mission. Studying this unique world can provide clues to how planets form, and the ingredients necessary to produce life supporting planets. Christine's first master’s was in Science Education from CSUN, and her undergraduate was inEnvironmental Science with a geological focus from Humboldt State, with minors in geology, music and recreation. In addition to teaching, she is a retired professional mountain bike racer, yet still ride and coach regularly. Her lifelong passion has always been music, and she is currently recording. She has also been smitten by the travel bug, and recently visited the giant caves of Vietnam.