NASA SLI Launch with Presidio Team

Guest Blogger: Dr. John Chandler, TTU T-STEM Center Co-Director

Fred Schneider and I just returned from another NASA Student Launch Initiative launch with the Presidio Rocket team at Marshall Space Center in Huntsville, Ala. To get there they had to be in the top 100 teams nationally to compete in the fly-off in Virginia for the Team America Rocketry Challenge, and then be in the top 20 scoring teams in the TARC nationals. This is the 5th team Presidio has had in the top 20 teams nationally, and the TTU T-STEM Center has had up to 5 teams that we mentor & support in the top 20 teams nationally.

Paul Holmes with the National Association of Rocketry and Tripoli Rocketry conducts a pre-flight inspection.

John Chandler (foreground) and Fred Schneider (background) with the Presidio rocket team in sombreros – Gwynelle Condino, Lois Obrero, and Jillianne Franco.

The Presidio rocket team with their rocket: Ana Karen Nieto, Itza Rodriguez, Gwynelle Condino, Jillianne Franco, Lois Obrero, and Jose Alan Galindo.

Shella Condino, Homer Hickam, and Adelina Portillo. Shella and Adelina teach at Presidio. Homer Hickam is author of Rocket Boys: A Memoir, which was made into the movie, October Sky. In front of the group is Aerrielle Condino.

The team’s booth: Biochemical Analysis of the Effect of Changes in Acceleration, Pressure, Humidity, and Temperature to Capsicum Chinense Habanero Chili.

You can also read a great article about the team at “Presidio team 2013″.

Presidio Teacher Shella Condino honored on CBS Special, “Teachers Rock”

“Teachers Rock,” a special on CBS Friday evening, August 17, 2012, highlighted a Presidio teacher, Shella Condino, for her work with students at Presidio High School in Presidio, Texas. Shella’s students have done tremendous work with rocketry, have received numerous awards in the last few years, and three of her students met the President at the White House Science Fair this year. In addition, Shella has received several awards, including the Scott Crossfield Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to Presidio, the Presidio students, and Shella Condino!

Rocketry Teaches about STEM

My boss, Dr. Fontenot, sent an email this morning that contained the link below. She said in her email, “The video from NASA demonstrates that a rocketry program teaches students about STEM in a rigorous environment. Students not only learn how to apply science and math and engage in engineering design, they also learn communication and teamwork skills.” I can’t think of any way to say it better. Watch the video! It’s very inspiring, and it explains why our Center is so excited to be involved in rocketry.

NASA Rocket Challenge

By the way, Shella Condino and her students from our Presidio Academy are shown on the video.

Presidio On the Road at CBS

We are so proud to say that Shella Condino and her rocketry class at Presidio High School have made the news!

Three of Presidio’s rocketry teams competed in the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) National Finals, and two of those teams are national finalists. See pictures of the teams and their rockets in this PDF: NASA SLI 2012 – TAME

The Aerospace Industries Association blogged about TARC and ended with a short comment by Shella Condino, Presidio High School teacher and leader of their rocketry program. http://goo.gl/CmPek

Congratulations to Shella and her rocketry teams. Y’all made everyone proud!

Kelton Visit & Educate Texas News

I know schools are preparing for STAAR next week, and I want to wish students, teachers, and schools success.

Beccy, Vinitha, Rich, and I are working with teachers and students in Kelton on a CPATH project funded by NSF. We visited Kelton this week to work with everyone a bit and answer any questions students and teachers had about the project. The students had written down questions before we arrived, and that was a great help. Their questions were very thoughtful and pertinent. Thanks to Jay Watson, Mary Burns, Roy Herndon, and Aletha Bentley, and all the students for making our trip so enjoyable.

Educate Texas had some articles about some of our Academies.

• Workforce Solutions of the Upper Rio Grande recognized Presidio as the 2011 STEM Challenge 2 Best Presentation Winners. http://www.urgjobs.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
• Harmony Science Academy in Lubbock sent two teams to compete in the FIRST Lego League robotics competition in February. Both teams secured two first place trophies out of eight categories. http://service.meltwaternews.com/mnews/redirect.html?docId=918279&userId=1063164&agentId=448107&type=3&etype=USER_CREATED&t=Harmony+Science+Academy+Lubbock+Champions+at+Robotics+Competition&rdt=1332277653875&cdt=1330629900000&cId=305188&sn=&cc=United+States&surl=&an=Clicked+from+Archive%2C+Newsfeed%2C+or+Newsletter&ue=gacuna@cftexas.org&url=

When I was in school, I was excited by our typing lab–rows of typewriters, and our teacher used a metronome to help us type rhythmically. Teachers were covered with chalk dust–especially the math teachers. And our homework was done by hand. Today’s students are involved in so many new and exciting things through STEM topics and PBL projects that it makes me wish I could start school all over again. Well…maybe not. The teen years were rather emotional, weren’t they?