HCC Rockets Launch shoots for the stars
Apr 19, 2017
More than 200 middle school students proved once again that Houston truly is Space City when they launched rockets into the sky April 13 at Houston Community College (HCC) Northeast College. The event, Rockets Launch, is the culmination of the Rocket Science Program created through a partnership between HCC, the Houston Rockets and Space Center Houston.
“This event exposes students to science, technology, engineering and math and it’s done in a fun way,” said HCC Chancellor Dr. Cesar Maldonado. “I shared with them that success in math is a great indicator of college success.”
The philosophy behind Rockets Launch is to inspire students to pursue science-based careers. They formed teams to design and build the rockets. “The students get to build rockets, test the designs, then launch and recover them,” said Daniel Newmyer, Director of Education for Space Center Houston.
Sarah Joseph, Community Relations Director for the Houston Rockets, praised the event for its emphasis on the sciences. “The Houston Rockets recognize the importance of engineering, technology and math education,” Joseph said. “Our owner says there are two things important to him and that’s winning championships and giving back to the community.”
The middle school students were mesmerized as they watched their rockets take flight. A sixth-grade student who witnessed the successful launch of her team’s rocket said she was amazed by the entire experience. “It gave me confidence,” confided Jacqueline Torres, a Marshall Middle School student. “Now I think I can do anything in my life.”
The students competed in four Rockets Launch categories. The winners were as follows:
- O’Donnell Middle School-Highest Altitude
- Marshall Middle School-Best Design
- Jane Long Academy-Most Creative Payload
- Christa McAuliffe Middle School-Best Computation
Congratulations to all the participants. Rockets Launch showed middle school students once again that the sky’s the limit when it comes to dreams and ambitions.
