students will receive $1,500 to build their experiment
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – In an unprecedented achievement, Surfside Elementary School has clinched a coveted spot in the prestigious NASA TechRise Student Challenge, making history as the first group ever selected from Brevard Public Schools.
The NASA TechRise Student Challenge invited teams of talented 6th-12th grade students to explore the realms of science and technology by designing, building, and launching experiments into suborbital conditions.
Surfside’s Gifted Students Program Teacher, Mrs. Manchur, challenged her 6th-grade students to team up and submit a proposal for this year’s challenge.
It was then that students Axel Bourgoin, Jack Fisher, Ian Lacombe, and Zachary Watzek, answered the call. On January 23, the team was invited to participate in a webinar with NASA scientists, where they were informed that they were one of the 60 winners of the challenge.
The students will receive $1,500 to build their experiment, a flight box to house it, and an assigned spot for their experiment on a suborbital rocket-powered lander.
Additionally, NASA Future Engineer advisors will mentor the students, for one hour per week, throughout the experiment build phase. This mentorship will provide the Surfside team with needed technical assistance and further ensure that the students have the necessary skills and resources to bring their experiment to fruition.
The experiment? An electromagnetic glove, aptly named the “Gravity Glove.”
The glove is designed to assist in an astronaut’s ability to reach and hold tools in space by leveraging electromagnetic frequency coils. The glove will undergo rigorous testing aboard the lander; whose test flight will simulate lunar conditions, flying for about two minutes at an altitude of 80 feet over a Moon-like test field.
Upon landing, the Gravity Glove will be mailed back to the team so that they can analyze the data and assess how the glove performed. This groundbreaking technology is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of these young scientists.
“One of the hardest parts about the TechRise challenge for students is coming up with an idea for a real tool that NASA would want to use. Jack’s creativity set the whole team apart from groups I’ve had in the past. Jack had an idea for a gravity glove that was both unique and untried,” said Mrs. Manchur.
“The idea and the initial sketch that he drew grabbed my attention immediately. I knew this was an idea that had great potential. It seemed both functional and workable. I told him and his group that this was the idea that they should work on. This idea had a real shot.”
BPS invites the community to stay engaged and follow the captivating journey of the students as they delve into the intricacies of space exploration. Regular updates on the Gravity Glove and the upcoming test flight this summer will provide a glimpse into the dedication and innovation of these young scientists.
Surfside Principal, Mrs. Erenstoft, shared in the excitement noting, “I am thrilled to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our 6th-grade students for being selected as a national winner of the NASA TechRise Challenge.
Their hard work, dedication, and passion for future engineering and space exploration set them apart. The teamwork they have shown, and this achievement inspires us all. I cannot wait to see them bring their creative design to fruition. These students have a bright future, and we are so proud of them.”
We are proud of their accomplishment, inspired by their innovation, and cannot wait to see their experiment come to fruition.
Here at BPS, we encourage all schools to get involved and possibly submit an experiment for next year’s challenge.
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