Model Rocketry is alive and well after all...

[Ozymandias]

Last August, a friend of mine asked me to teach a rocketry and space workshop at her church in Watts, CA. I had the pleasure of teaching seven intelligent, eager students how to build thier own Alpha III rocket kit. My students, who ranged in age from 7 to 14, also built and successfully flew a PML 1/4 scale patriot. As a suprise, I packed certificates in the Patriot's payload bay. You should have seen their faces when I opened the rocket and gave them the papers. Here's a picture of us at the August 2004 ROC club launch. That's me on the far left. I was especially proud of the young man to the right of me in the photo. He is handicapped and has poor motor and speech skills. I am glad I was able to help him build and fly his rocket.

 

[Steward]

You know that we all have fun with... and enjoy rocketry...

But... I've always said that it's about the kids...!!!

Congratulations... and continued success...!!!

 

[rebar_rocketry]

Man, it's people like you who keep this hobby passing from one generation to the next; keeping the torch burning. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to print this photo and put it in my store.

 

[DynaSoar]

Ozy, you da MAN.

I hope I get to do stuff like this. It doesn't get any better.

 

[Gus]

Ozy,

I was at the park today with my daughters launching a few rockets.

A dad and his son, about 8 or 9 years old, wandered by and asked if they could watch. I said sure, but that they'd have to help out by pushing the button to launch the next rocket because my thumb was getting kind of tired.

Well, obviously the kid was totally excited and got a huge thrill out of launching the rocket.

After they left my youngest daughter asked me why I did that.

I explained that as much as I love building and launching rockets, the one thing I love even more is teaching other people about rockets.

It's obvious from your picture you feel the same way.

Great work.

 

[hokkyokusei]

Congratulations!

Hmmm, time to bang on the door of my kids' school again, I think ;-)

 

[shreadvector]

Looks like you drove out to the desert to launch. If you want to launch locally, check out our NAR section:

https://home.earthlink.net/~mebowitz/

We launch in Los Angeles County at a county regional park on approved days (with all the necessary permits and insurance in place).

We also can help with class supplies. We have a bunch of Quest Viper kits that we make available to local teachers and youth group leaders for about 60% off the normal discounted bulk price. Contact the club at the phone number listed on the website if you need anything.

Hope to see you at an event in the future.

Originally posted by Ozymandias
Last August, a friend of mine asked me to teach a rocketry and space workshop at her church in Watts, CA. I had the pleasure of teaching seven intelligent, eager students how to build thier own Alpha III rocket kit. My students, who ranged in age from 7 to 14, also built and successfully flew a PML 1/4 scale patriot. As a suprise, I packed certificates in the Patriot's payload bay. You should have seen their faces when I opened the rocket and gave them the papers. Here's a picture of us at the August 2004 ROC club launch. That's me on the far left. I was especially proud of the young man to the right of me in the photo. He is handicapped and has poor motor and speech skills. I am glad I was able to help him build and fly his rocket.

 

[eugenefl]

Absolutely outstanding. Nicely done.

BTW, I'll be out at NEFAR on October 9th. NEFAR launches are held in Bunnell about 30 minutes from Daytona. Check out www.nefar.net for info and directions. I'm not sure if you're set up to fly rockets in Florida, but if nothing else is going on you should check it out. Hope to see you there. Later man.

Eugene

 

[Ozymandias]

Originally posted by rebar_rocketry
Man, it's people like you who keep this hobby passing from one generation to the next; keeping the torch burning. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to print this photo and put it in my store.

Go ahead. I don't mind.

 

[Ozymandias]

Originally posted by eugenefl
Absolutely outstanding. Nicely done.

BTW, I'll be out at NEFAR on October 9th. NEFAR launches are held in Bunnell about 30 minutes from Daytona. Check out www.nefar.net for info and directions. I'm not sure if you're set up to fly rockets in Florida, but if nothing else is going on you should check it out. Hope to see you there. Later man.

Eugene

If I get a little free time I'd love to go to a launch. I have a few Estes rockets here but all my HPR stuff is back in California. Depending on how my classes go, I'll ask my mom to ship it to me.

 

[Missileman]

That is so special.
The kids are the future and it is wonderful that you were able to work with such a great group.
This is what makes it all worth while.

 

[GL-P]

Nice ozy! i did something where I launched rockets at my school. No time for everone to build anything though but the kids got into it. There were kids staring outside the classrooms

My high school has transportation tech where one of the projects is we build rockets. Great fun. Rolled our own tubes even. Awesome!!!

 

[huxley]

Looks like great fun that the kids will always remember.

The Alpha IIIs are great rockets - they'll fly on any engine. (Lost mine on a C!) They're pretty tuff too!

That looks like a great place to launch! Wish we had something like that a little closer! I wouldn't lose so many rockets!

Tell us if you have more classes - love the pics!

Pat

 

[cls]

David, you done a good thing, sure, but when are you going to bring those young men back! gotta keep the ball rolling, eh! maybe next ROCSTOCK, or next summer?

 

[Ozymandias]

Originally posted by huxley
Looks like great fun that the kids will always remember.

The Alpha IIIs are great rockets - they'll fly on any engine. (Lost mine on a C!) They're pretty tuff too!

That looks like a great place to launch! Wish we had something like that a little closer! I wouldn't lose so many rockets!

Tell us if you have more classes - love the pics!

Pat

Lucerne is a great site. It's about a 300 mile round trip from L.A. to the lakebed and back. The only problem are the numerous crack houses on the eastern side of the playa. We've actually had people ride up on ATVs and hold rockets ransom for money. Cocaine's a helluva drug... At that launch I flew one of the Alpha IIIs on an Aerotech D21T and actually got it back. We could actually hear the poor fins fluttering on the way up. When one of my students recovered it the body tube was zippered to hell but the up part sure was fun. The great thing about little kids is that they get so excited that they don't mind running around the desert in 90+ degree heat to recover rockets. I wish they could come to all the launches.

 

[Ozymandias]

Originally posted by cls
David, you done a good thing, sure, but when are you going to bring those young men back! gotta keep the ball rolling, eh! maybe next ROCSTOCK, or next summer?

We'll see. I'm sure they would like to go again. Right now, it's just a matter of me having time to take them. I'm doing an intership with Pratt & Whitney next summer so even the June ROCStock is iffy. However, I was able to free up some time in July to go to LDRS. Even though I have very limited free time, it's a small price to pay to get my education and possibly a full-time job with P & W when I graduate. If it weren't difficult, it wouldn't be worth it.

 

[jflis]

Ozymandias, isn't that the best feeling in the world!??! Helping kids enjoy such a wonderful hobby and *learn* something at the same time. And, i'd be willing to bet that *you* learned a thing or two at the same time (I know that I always do )

jim