Familes of Faith School Launch May 13
 

My wife teaches 5th grade at Familes of Faith Christian Academy. When she started she told me the science books had a chapter on rockets and the space program and asked if I would do a rocket launch and build with them. The 6th, 7th, 8th and high school science teacher heard about this and asked if I'd also include them.

So, I now had a total of 34 kids to guide through building and launching their rockets. The school is on a large plot that I figured was about perfect for a B engine or even a C if winds are completely calm. Given the low level of building skills, I decided we would do Alpha 3's on A8-3 motors. I also would bring some of my fleet too.... :D

We built the rockets on May 6th and based upon the forecast, would launch on the 13th.

Some photos of one of the build sessions
Dangit! I ahve to resize the photos the wife took with her phone. Too big to upload.

Okeydokey! I finally got the time to compress the photos. I had stern words for the wife about her not getting any of the kids rockets launching. In fact, unlike previous times where she could catch several in the early stages of lifting off, she caught none this time.

Some build pics.

Some launch day pictures
Prepping

I launched an old Centuri Long Tom I built over 36 years ago. The engine mounts in both the booster and 2nd stage had gone bad from heavy use and the main body tube on the 2nd stage had crimped.

I launched with a B6-0/A8-5

Not only were the winds completely calm, but I had only one failure of the Estes "starters" out of over 50 launches that day. I was prepared for a frustrating day of igniter failures, but was instead pleasnatly surprised.

Good to see the smiles on the kids faces and what seems at least as a good level of engagement.

Thanks for adding your efforts to that program with he kids; the voice of experience and, one would suspect, a high enthusiasm level, had to add even more to the effort for the kids. I’d been over the moon to do something like this at that age!

Earl

My wife has been teaching for years and I get to do this with her kids at least once a year. It is fun.

Well now, it would seem that particular problem could be easily addressed with a re-launch... and okay, maybe a new camera/phone too, just to be on the safe side! From the looks on their faces in the pics you uploaded, I'm sure the kids would be up for that. And the school administration would likely have to agree that "God is the god of second chances." You could even cherry pick a few proof texts like Isaiah 43:18-19a and Job 33:29 to clinch the deal. ;)

At any rate, thanks for doing the build and launch with the kids, and for sharing the pics with us on the forum!! :)