Students are rocket scientists in training
January 13, 2010
By Christopher Huber
By Christopher Huber
Sammamish schools have more reasons to commend their science and math programs these days.
The Museum of Flight’s Washington Aerospace Scholars recently announced that eight students — five from Eastlake and three from Skyline — were accepted into the first round of the program. The 11-session study and testing round prepares the students for the ultimate goal of getting a spot in the summer residency.
Eastlake students Timothy Jugovic, Felix Humay, Rasan Cherala, Ethan Chan and Amit Burstein and Skyline’s James Richardson, Dominique Porcincula and Justin Hall are among approximately 240 students around Washington to make it into the initial stage of the Aerospace Scholars program.
“I wanted it pretty bad, because I thought it would be a pretty cool experience,” said Hall, a junior. “I worked pretty hard on the application.”
For the next couple of months, the youth will be studying and testing with a Web-based, NASA-designed distance-learning curriculum, according to a program press release. The curriculum covers topics like the history of spaceflight and analyzes evidence supporting the theory of life on Mars.
“They’re taking the stuff that’s in a typical science class and they’re applying it,” said Liz Sirjani, an Eastlake teacher and grader for the program applications. “It is so incredible. It is one of the best things, because it is hands on. It’s amazing things that you don’t get everyday at school.”
For their online lessons, scholars must write essays, compute space-related math problems and design graphics that illustrate their ideas, according to the Museum of Flight.
Hall, who takes IB math and physics at Skyline, said the bi-weekly reading and quizzes are difficult, on top of regular homework, but they get to learn about making a space rover, the space shuttle’s engines and NASA’s first missions.
Phase one of the Aerospace Scholars program began at the end of December and cumulative weekly test scores determine a student’s spot in the summer residency. If accepted to the residency, the students will work together and with NASA experts and former astronauts to plan a mission to Mars.
“I’m really excited to just get into the summer program,” Hall said.
Washington Aerospace Scholars began in 2006 and saw its first graduating class in 2007, said Melissa Edwards, program administrator. She said it was formed in response to a growing 20-year trend of waning enrollment in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
It’s based on the 10-year-old Texas Aerospace Scholars program and is funded by the Washington Aerospace Scholars Foundation.
Students attend free of charge, according to the organization’s Web site.
Three students, Skyline’s David Pedroni and Taylor Chin and Eastlake’s Erick Lo were among approximately 150 students from around the state who participated in the 2009 summer residency. Program officials selected them out of the 260 applicants who had completed the months-long testing period in fall 2008.
“Even though it’s only the fourth year, we’ve seen pretty good success,” Edwards said last September.
To apply, a student must be a Washington high school junior and maintain a 3.0 grade-point average.
Download an application for 2010-2011 at www.museumofflight.org/washingtonaerospacescholars.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com.
Sammamish schools have more reasons to commend their science and math programs these days.
The Museum of Flight’s Washington Aerospace Scholars recently announced that eight students — five from Eastlake and three from Skyline — were accepted into the first round of the program. The 11-session study and testing round prepares the students for the ultimate goal of getting a spot in the summer residency.
Eastlake students Timothy Jugovic, Felix Humay, Rasan Cherala, Ethan Chan and Amit Burstein and Skyline’s James Richardson, Dominique Porcincula and Justin Hall are among approximately 240 students around Washington to make it into the initial stage of the Aerospace Scholars program.
“I wanted it pretty bad, because I thought it would be a pretty cool experience,” said Hall, a junior. “I worked pretty hard on the application.”
For the next couple of months, the youth will be studying and testing with a Web-based, NASA-designed distance-learning curriculum, according to a program press release. The curriculum covers topics like the history of spaceflight and analyzes evidence supporting the theory of life on Mars.
“They’re taking the stuff that’s in a typical science class and they’re applying it,” said Liz Sirjani, an Eastlake teacher and grader for the program applications. “It is so incredible. It is one of the best things, because it is hands on. It’s amazing things that you don’t get everyday at school.”
For their online lessons, scholars must write essays, compute space-related math problems and design graphics that illustrate their ideas, according to the Museum of Flight.
Hall, who takes IB math and physics at Skyline, said the bi-weekly reading and quizzes are difficult, on top of regular homework, but they get to learn about making a space rover, the space shuttle’s engines and NASA’s first missions.
Phase one of the Aerospace Scholars program began at the end of December and cumulative weekly test scores determine a student’s spot in the summer residency. If accepted to the residency, the students will work together and with NASA experts and former astronauts to plan a mission to Mars.
“I’m really excited to just get into the summer program,” Hall said.
Washington Aerospace Scholars began in 2006 and saw its first graduating class in 2007, said Melissa Edwards, program administrator. She said it was formed in response to a growing 20-year trend of waning enrollment in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
It’s based on the 10-year-old Texas Aerospace Scholars program and is funded by the Washington Aerospace Scholars Foundation.
Students attend free of charge, according to the organization’s Web site.
Three students, Skyline’s David Pedroni and Taylor Chin and Eastlake’s Erick Lo were among approximately 150 students from around the state who participated in the 2009 summer residency. Program officials selected them out of the 260 applicants who had completed the months-long testing period in fall 2008.
“Even though it’s only the fourth year, we’ve seen pretty good success,” Edwards said last September.
To apply, a student must be a Washington high school junior and maintain a 3.0 grade-point average.
Download an application for 2010-2011 at www.museumofflight.org/washingtonaerospacescholars.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com.
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