Up, up and away

Hot air balloons floated lazily into the blue summer sky as Russellville children shouted and pointed, tracking their paths into the clouds. It was all part of a unique STEM activity in the P.A.W.S. summer program.

Mark Ward, technical advisor and federal programs coordinator for Alabama, visited with Russellville City Schools personnel Wednesday to discuss monitoring, but Thursday he led a hot air balloon lesson designed to teach the children a few key science and engineering principles – as well as life skills like teamwork, cooperation and listening to directions.

“They had to work collaboratively and take turns gluing and cutting,” Ward said. Legislation governing 21st Century Community Learning Centers summer programs like P.A.W.S. dictates a STEM, component, so the hot air balloon activity has been just one of multiple STEM projects for the children this summer. “Research is telling us we need jobs we don’t have right now. Engineering, science, math, technology – those are the jobs we need to fill. It’s just that important.”

Students in the RES P.A.W.S program – third, fourth and fifth grades – divided into seven teams of four to create their balloons, which were made of gift wrap tissue paper.

“This was a good age to have them build them,” Young said. “And then we wanted West to see them launched, to see what they’ll get to do in a few years.” WES students joined RES students in the front parking lot to watch the balloon rise, fueled by a propane tank and a one-of-a-kind launching funnel contraption Ward created from metal pieces.

Ward said the children “had a blast” constructing their balloons, which took about an hour plus drying time.