Contact: Michelle Woods, Ignite Education
830-997-3567, mwoods@igniteeducation.org

Thirty-three Texas high school science teachers gathered in Fredericksburg for hands-on training in SystemsGo Aeroscience, an innovative project-based course in which students design, build, and launch rockets that travel several miles high and surpass the speed of sound.

Reinforcing a point, Brett Williams guides teachers through another generation of rocket building.

Training took place during the week of June 22 at the Nimitz Museum in the Cailloux Education Center.

Twenty-two first-year teachers from 19 schools spent the week learning the fundamentals of project-based learning, listening to national speakers, and building three generations of model rockets which they launched at the Fredericksburg High School football stadium.

"The training is designed to help teachers understand how to build to their design," said Brett Williams, the Fredericksburg high school teacher who developed and directed the training. "The goal is to get them ready to lead their high school students through the development of the rocket that will carry one pound of payload one mile high."

Those "one pound, one mile" rockets will be launched at the Rockets 2010 event next spring, when teams of students from more than 40 schools will meet near Fredericksburg to launch their rockets.

Speakers included Tom Moser, retired leading engineer for Apollo and the Space Station; Gerry Griffin, former Director of the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston; Lee Graham, Johnson Space Center; and Chris Madsen, Orion Entry Guidance, Navigation & Control Systems Manager for NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

On Friday, teachers watched and participated at the Meek Ranch as two teams of students from Eastwood Academy in Houston returned to Fredericksburg to attempt to launch rockets they designed and built through the program.

During the week, participants enjoyed an educational tour of the Nimitz Museum, a tour of Heartland Enterprises, and a wine tasting social at InSight Gallery. On Friday and Saturday, 11 second-year teachers returned for advanced level training.

Sponsors and donors who supported Ignite in offering the training include AC Supply Co., Apogee, Giant Leap Rocketry, Cesaroni Technologies, InSight Gallery, House Wine, Texas Silver Rush, NASA International Space Station, SpaceX Technologies, Fredericksburg Winery, and The Nimitz Museum.

“This has been such a great class,” said First Level teacher Rebekka Garcia of Northstar School in Arlington. “I’m so inspired to take this back to my students to see what they get out of it and how they are inspired by this program. I really think it is something unique and something special. I’ve had a great time.”

The SystemsGo aeroscience curriculum advocates an innovative approach to learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It is supported and developed by Ignite Education, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

.... 3... 2... 1... liftoff!

The two-year SystemsGo Aeroscience program is designed for juniors and seniors in high school. First-year students design and develop sounding rockets capable of lofting a one-pound payload to a one-mile altitude. Second-year students develop a rocket capable of lofting a 35-pound payload to 100,000 feet.

Assisting at the workshop were SystemsGo instructors Jimmy Ledbetter of Lubbock; Andrew Matthes of Fredericksburg; and Ignite Programs Coordinator Michelle Woods.

This fall, the SystemsGo Aeroscience program will be active in more than 40 high schools. Educators and supporters wanting to learn more about becoming involved can call 830-997-3567, or go online at www.igniteeducation.org.