2015 Intermediate Space Challenge

Debbie Lee's fifth grade class at Golden Hills Elementary may be the most excited students in Tehachapi this week. "The Little Einsteins" took home the trophy from the 2015 Intermediate Space Challenge held at Tehachapi Airport on the morning of May 19. They are pictured above with their prize (photo provided).

Twenty three teams of Tehachapi 4th and 5th grade classes participated in the challenge. The participating schools were Cummings Valley, Golden Hills, Tompkins, Carden School and Hope Academy. According to organizers, this is the first time at the Tehachapi competition that one class has won in five catagories.

The competition was started eleven years ago by Marie Walker, CEO of Fiberset in Mojave. This is the sixth year of the Tehachapi competition organized with the help of Joel Beckmann and Mick Bowen and sponsored locally by the Arts, Science and Technology Corporation of Tehachapi (AST). Following the national anthem sung by Madison Harding from Tompkins Elementary School, Jack Ryan of NASA at Edwards Air Force Base briefly spoke to the kids of the great future waiting for them.

In the competition, each participating class is to build a rocket that will be launched the day of the challenge. A student from the Tehachapi High School THEMA Program is assigned to each class to assist in the building of the rocket. However, the project is far more than building a rocket. The classes choose a team name, design a banner, write an essay and create a cheer. Each element is judged independently and anonymously.

The rockets themselves are judged on looks and integration as well as the altitude achieved. Altitude is measured by creating an imaginary triangle with the rocket in the middle of the base. Sighters located 500 feet on either side of the rocket measure the elevation angles. The altitude achieved can be figured by triangulating the angles using a formula. This is geometry over simplified but hopefully you get the idea!

Mrs. Lee's class was awarded certificates for highest rocket launch (5th grade), best essay (5th grade), best overall score (5th grade), highest rocket launch overall and best overall (trophy). "My students have learned so much, not just all the science, but also working together, planning, designing and respecting hard work,"said Debbie. She also expressed how much she appreciated the event organizers for truly caring about the future of the students.