Last Thursday, on a windy but sunny morning, Gilpin High School students gathered, with High School teacher, Ralph Campbell, on the football field to launch rockets into space. The launches were the accumulation of the year’s science programs and the brain child of teachers Barb Bedwell and Ralph Campbell. During the launches, Mr. Campbell explained that while studying Earth Science, the students learned about space. During Chemistry the students learned about combustible materials and during Physics, the students learned about flight. “This is not only about putting together what the students learned; it is about enjoying a reward for hard work.”

  The students purchased the kits that each held the components necessary to build the rockets. While the rockets varied in their appearance, each had the same components necessary for them to actually launch and fly. The students customized the body of their individual rockets. The launches were staggered over three different times, during two different days. During this launch, Matt Hardy (Junior), Sierra Rhodd (Sophmore), and Whitney Huskey (Junior) put their rocket launching skills to work.

  While the wind blew and the rockets gained altitude, one of the fifth grade students watching asked, “Do you think they could work for NASA now?” Who knows, but the lessons learned surely have more than one application.