Pin Oak students launch rocket
A rocket built by students from Pin Oak Middle School in Bellaire was named Best Decorated during Rockets Launch, an event held to celebrate and mark the end of a rocket science educational program.
During the monthlong “Rockets Science” program, more than 200 middle school students from more than two-dozen Houston-area campuses learned the basics of rocketry during live webinars with Space Center Houston scientists. On April 6, their hard work paid off with the launch, held on the grounds of Houston Community College Northeast.
Rockets Science, a partnership between the college, The Houston Rockets and Space Center Houston, allowed students to learn the importance of math and science. The program also gave participating middle school students a glimpse of new science projects NASA and Space Center Houston area exploring.
“NASA is now in the journey to Mars,” said Daniel Mewmyer, director of education for Space Center Houston.
He said the students in this program could become the engineers, astronauts and scientists that make “that giant leap possible.”
“Because of this partnership, students pursue careers in the science, technology, engineering and math,” said Adriana Tamez, chair of HCC’s board of trustees, in a news release.
The day of the rocket launch, she said, students saw their work in action.
“I learned that if you want something to actually work you have to do it step-by-step and right,” said Alani Deanda, a seventh-grader at Patrick Henry Middle School.
At the conclusion of the launch, awards were given to participating schools, including Best Decorated Rocket to Pin Oak Middle School, Most Successful Payload Separation to O’Donnell Middle School, Most Successful Rocket Recovery to Hartman Middle School, and Most School Participation to Jane Long Middle School.
To learn more about the program, visit www. hccs.edu.