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| Chancellor Williams welcomes event participants |
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| Students ready for competition |
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| Hannah Davis, student, talks about the challenge |
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| John Edwards, VP, CMC Corporate Solutions addresses students |
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| L-r: Amy Sellers, Robert Lockett, BR Food Bank; Tiffany Franklin, Chancellor Williams, SU Ag Center |
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| Student contestant releases the rocket for his team |
Baton Rouge, LA – Nearly 100 students in 5th
– 9th grades from Southern University Laboratory and Park Ridge
Magnet Schools filed into the Southern University Seymour Gym at 9 a.m. on
October 8 to demonstrate the aerodynamic design of their self-propelled
rockets.
The event was held in observance of 4-H National
Youth Science Day. This year’s theme was “Rockets to the Rescue,” and the experiment
challenged youth to use aerospace engineering to design a rocket that could
deliver food to victims of a natural disaster.
Students also donated non-perishable food items to
the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank as part of their experiment.
“This year’s event is more than building a rocket,
it’s more about giving back to the community and helping others in need,” said
Tiffany Franklin, Southern University Ag Center 4-H Program Coordinator.
In his welcome address, Chancellor Williams emphasized
to the students that in order for STEM disciple to be complete, “A” (agriculture)
must be added, changing it to STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering,
Agriculture, and Math; a strong indication of where our food and fiber come
from.
Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank representatives Amy
Sellers and Robert Lockett also attended the event and explained the importance
of donating food to those in need.
Edwards talked to the youth about the opportunities
available in the engineering field, encouraged the students to become
disciplined and to use their knowledge in science, technology and mathematics
to help solve some of the challenges that we currently face.
“No matter where you go or what you do; what counts
is what you leave behind,” said Edwards. “Self-respect is paramount to
everything in your life.”
The students assembled into teams and took turns
propelling their rockets at landing pads to see whose rocket could reach the
farthest target.
Teams Power Squad (25 points) and D’Elm Group (15
points), both from the Southern University Laboratory School, took home first
and second place respectively. Teams Bumble Bee from the Southern University
Laboratory School and PRAMS Dynamic 5 from Park Ridge Magnet School tied for
third place with 10 points each.
A total of 129 students, staff and parents attended
the 2014 4-H NYSD.
The event was covered by WAFB entitles, “Southern hosts 'Rockets to the
Rescue'” available at http://www.wafb.com/story/26741351/southern-hosts-rockets-to-the-rescue;
also, in the Advocate’s article titled “Reading, writing and rockets” featured
on page 4B of the October 9th issue of the newspaper.
For additional information about the Southern
University Ag Center’s 4-H programs, contact Tiffany Franklin at (225)
771-2775.
Writer: LaKeeshia D. Giddens, 225.771.2160, Lakeeshia_giddens@suagcenter.com
###
Contact:
Bridget Udoh
(225) 771-5714
bridget_udoh@suagcenter.com
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