Girl Scout Troop 116 at Aspen Elementary School Aug. 12 distributing model rocket kits. Courtesy photo
COMMUNITY News:
Girl Scout Troop 116 is made up of 12 seventh grade girls from Los Alamos and White Rock who are working toward earning their Girl Scout Silver Award.
The project they have undertaken is RocketDay, which is the kick-off event for the Los Alamos ScienceFest. RocketDay celebrates the rockets launched into space that carried instruments built by Los Alamos National Laboratory over the years. It is a partnership between Troop 116, the local chapter of the National Association of Rocketry, The Zia Spacemodelers, Kiwanas Club, Los Alamos County and Los Alamos Main Street.
The girls have learned to build model rockets from Robb Hermes of the Zia Spacemodelers Club. With funding from both Boeing and the LANL Community Programs Office, enough model rocket kits are being provided for the entire LAPS 6th grade to build one of the model rockets. Troop 116 delivered the kits to the 6th grade teachers last week. This week the girls will take time from school to assist the 6th graders in assembling the kits. The rockets will then be picked up and the Girl Scouts will assist the Zia Spacemodelers in installing the engines.
RocketDay is 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6 at Overlook Park in White Rock. The public is invited to join in the rocket-themed activities, water rockets, stomp rockets, face-painting and art projects, as well as food vendors. Zia Spacemodelers will launch the rockets. All LAPS 6th grade rocket builders will be given a RocketDay Rocketeer wrist band, which will identify them as official rocket retrievers.
Former NASA Astronaut and LANL Scientist John Phillips is coming to meet with the public, pose for photographs and sign autographs. The large rocket that was on the Girl Scout float in the Los Alamos County Fair parade will be available for photographs.
The Girls Scouts’ goal is not only to get these model rockets built, but to build interest in rocket modeling and participation in RocketDay. They hope to engage not only the teachers, administrators and students, but the public as well.
Girl Scout Troop 116 is very excited about their involvement in RocketDay and hope to see everyone there.
Los Alamos ScienceFest, Sept. 5-13, is a weeklongfestival that celebrates Los Alamos as a center of science and creativity. The festival features an exciting line-up of interactive demonstrations, creative competitions, dynamic speakers, community tours and educational-flavored social gatherings to engage families and youth in science. Learn more at LosAlamosScienceFest.com.
