In Spring 2014 we carried out an exploratory program of AstroConnect with two high school classrooms in the Upper Valley region:

• Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, NH (faculty: Tom Pasquini)
• Woodstock Union High School, Woodstock, VT (faculty: Tim Brennan)

The focus of this spring’s program was on X-ray astronomy and black holes. Our guest astronomers were:

• Peter Maksym (University of Alabama): Black holes eating stars
• Julie Hlavacek-Larrondo (Stanford and University of Montreal): Powerful black holes in galaxy clusters
• Katja Poppenhaeger (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA): An eclipsing planet in X-rays
• Kevin Hainline (Dartmouth College): Fluorescent gas in galaxies powered by quasars

Each classroom participated in three Skype discussions with guest astronomers, with questions prepared by the students in advance based on the articles. The program was successful and both classrooms have expressed interest in continuing the program in 2014-15.