Nemesis x Trenton Urban Promise: Helping STEM Soar
Imagine the thrill of watching a rocket soar into the sky—only this time, it's not a high-tech spacecraft, but a simple straw and paper rocket crafted by the young hands of elementary school students. This exciting experience unfolded when Nemesis 2590, partnered with Trenton Urban Promise for a hands-on STEM event. Through this collaboration, students were able to build and test their very own paper rockets and also gain insight into the fascinating world of STEM.
The event kicked off with an introduction of what Nemesis 2590 is to the students. Our Nemesis members split the students into groups of five, and two members were able to guide every group for a more personalized experience with them. Students were given materials like straws, paper, tape, and crayons to build and decorate their creations. As the students worked on their designs, they quickly learned how seemingly small decisions, like the shape of the paper or the size of the straw, could impact how far their rocket would travel.
Once the rockets were ready, the real fun began. Students launched their creations into the air, eager to see whose rocket could travel the farthest. The excitement in the air was contagious as the students watched their rockets soar and experimented with adjusting their designs to improve their results. This testing phase became a live, hands-on demonstration of physics in action, allowing the students to explore core concepts like gravity. Being innovative students, they quickly understood how variables like the angle of launch or weight distribution could affect the distance their rockets traveled.
Through this experience, Nemesis 2590 brought STEM education to life, demonstrating that science isn’t just something learned from a textbook; however, it’s something one can touch, build, and experiment with. The rocket activity provided a concrete way to connect abstract concepts to real-world applications. As the students launched their rockets and learned through trial and error, they gained a deeper appreciation for how STEM shapes the world around us. The event also reminded everyone that STEM is not just about solving problems; it's also about asking questions, being curious, and pushing the boundaries of what we know. For us Nemesis team members, this event was just as much fun as it was educational. It was a rewarding experience, reminding us that teaching others can deepen our own understanding of STEM.
In the end, Nemesis’s outreach event at Trenton Urban Promise was a resoundingly successful event. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of community outreach and the impact it can have on inspiring future scientists, engineers, and thinkers. Through events like this, Nemesis 2590 continues to encourage young minds to explore the world of science and technology—and who knows? Maybe one of these young rocket builders will be the next big name in innovation. We hope to come back next year to Trenton Urban Promise.
