Children get to

launch rockets to

top off the day

By Natalie Ragus/Staff Writer

Students from Liberty Elementary School got a taste of what it's like to be engineers as they shot model rockets high into the sky Tuesday.

During a whirlwind day at Santa Maria's Discovery Children's Museum, the students learned about engineering principles through a series of hands-on experiments, which culminated in a rocket launch at Simas Park.

The museum, in conjunction with Lockheed Martin Corp., put on the event in honor of National Engineers Week and Space Education Day, museum officials said.

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“It's a lot of fun. It's a chance to give (the kids) a little focus on the importance of math and engineering,” Museum Director Cindy Ransick said.

National Engineers Week - officially Feb. 17-23 - is a week set aside to promote engineering as a career among the nation's school children.

Last week, engineering students at Cal Poly commemorated the week by visiting fourth-grade and high school classrooms in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.

Space Education Day, which also took place Tuesday, focuses specifically on aeronautical engineering and space travel.

On Tuesday, Liberty students explored many areas of engineering, but with an emphasis on space and aeronautical engineering dynamics.

For example, they saw a space presentation and built model satellites.

However, the highlight of the day was the rocket launch, which used 20-ounce plastic soda and water bottles as rockets.

Students were divided between two rocket “launch pads.”

One pad was set up with a model rocket powered by hydrogen fuel, and the other for the students' bottles powered by just water and air pressure.

Both types worked equally well.

Fourth-grader José Guterrez pumped air furiously into the water-powered rocket launcher.

As another student pushed a button, José smiled broadly when his rocket lifted into the air with a satisfying “pop.”

“It was cool,” he said.

Lockheed Martin employee Anthony Franklin said he hopes that the day will make a mark on some of the kids who took part in it.

“Maybe they'll aspire to be engineers,” he said.

Natalie Ragus can be reached at 347-4580 or nragus@santamariatimes.com.

February 27, 2008


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