Aerospace Workshop at 32nd Street
Originally Published May 2, 2018
The USC Joint Educational Project and its Young Scientists Program (YSP) in partnership with Raytheon Company hosted an after school aerospace studio workshop for up to 60 fourth and fifth grade students at 32nd Street Elementary School on April 10th, 2018 from 2PM-5PM. Noel Ellis, Director, Engineering Learning and University Relations for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, spearheaded the aerospace themed outreach. The American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) donated the funds for the Bottle Rocket Launchers utilized at the workshop.
During this workshop, the students worked on a variety of stations. Each station featured one of the following activities:
Straw Rockets: Students designed their own unique rockets, complete with fins and nose cones, out of cardstock and straws, and these were launched using a far range launcher. Students adjusted their design through trial and error in order to improve the launch distance.
“One student said this: “I learned a little bit about aerodynamics. I learned how to make a rocket ship with just some straw, paper, and clay. What I didn’t know is that adding clay to the object helps give weight. Without weight, the rocket ship won’t fly as high as intended.”
CD Hoverboards: Students created their own hoverboard utilizing a blank CD connected to a sports bottle cap as well as a balloon. The balloon inflates and then is attached to the sports bottle cap. When released the disk hovers around the table. One of the students remarked that:
“Engineers start with small things to be able to create big things and that they must keep making modifications to be better as an engineer”.
Raytheon Employee Volunteers:
- Dr. Jeffrey Tate
- Robert Narumi
- Leticia Diaz
- Vince Kirk
- Patrick Convery
- Sonya Cooper
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2017 sales of $25 billion and 64,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 96 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. Follow us on Twitter.