Pittsfield — It was a blast for 12 city children who took part in a week-long model rocket camp during the third week of August. The camp was organized by Great Barrington-based Flying Cloud Institute.
The mission of the organization, according to its website, is to offer science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) programs to local area youth. As part of the program, campers learned how to build, design, and launch model rockets from Flying Cloud staff member and rocketeer David Doyle. Through building the model rockets, Doyle taught the campers lessons about engineering, design, and science.
Doyle told The Berkshire Edge that he has been building and launching model rockets since he was eight years old. “I’m 59 now, and I fell in love with rockets when I was a kid because I like to build things,” Doyle said. “I think that rocketry is a great way for children to get outside and to learn how to construct with building materials, including glue, adhesives, and knives. But what I love about launching model rockets is being outside and watching something that you build go hundreds of feet in the air and getting it back.”
He said that the campers learned about how to work as a team as they built and launched the model rockets. “We all helped each other out during the build process,” he said. “We all enjoyed the excitement of building these rockets.”
“This camp was important for children to get hands-on experience as young engineers,” Flying Cloud Institute Education Director Deb Sarlin said. “Summertime is a great time for children to explore STEAM programs. It’s great to see the expressions on everybody’s faces when rockets are all launched.”
Sarlin added that the program was free to students and was sponsored by donors that she did not want to name.
For more information about The Flying Cloud Institute and its programs, go to its website.
