ENCINO : Students Take Rocket Design to Higher Plane

Seung Suh, 11, clenched his fists as about 100 fifth-graders from Encino Elementary and Canoga Park’s Fullbright Avenue Elementary began the countdown for the Apollo 7 rocket’s takeoff Thursday.

As engineer, Seung wasn’t sure if the new, down-turned nose he’d put on the model rocket would provide enough lift for a successful flight across Encino Elementary’s yard.

Along with five schoolmates, Seung was participating in a model rocket competition against Fullbright as part of a Los Angeles Educational Partnership science program that seeks to teach fifth-graders about aerospace technology.

“Last time, it didn’t go very far,” Seung said as he watched Bob Karon, an after-school activities volunteer for both schools, fasten his plane to a brace suspended from fishing line stretched 160 feet between two fences.

As the Apollo 7 shot forth about 122 feet, Seung jumped up and down shouting “Yes!” So far, he was in first place.

But with students from both schools studying aerodynamic design this year, Seung’s mark was soon surpassed by sleeker models. “Oh well,” he shrugged.

Karon and fifth-grade teacher Carol Palato coordinated the competition as part of an Encino school program to motivate students to learn about aerospace technology.

“We want to make this a long-term program,” Palato said. “We’re hoping, in later years, kids can see which designs were effective and work to improve upon them.”

Karon and Palato treated each student entry as if it were a new project candidate for NASA.

“The important thing is that these kids have the ability to design these rockets on their own,” Karon said. “I gave them a pipe with an engine mount and they took it from there.”

The judges, aerospace engineers from JPL and Subbotin Associates, were wowed by some of the entries. While watching Fullbright Elementary’s Delta Shark rocket fly about 150 feet to win the distance portion of the competition, JPL engineer Peter Kallemeyn said: “Look how it glides so easily.”

Kristen Mason, 11, who with 10-year-old Diana Hemaidan and 11-year-old Matt Sarto designed the Delta Shark to look slightly different from the Columbia space shuttle, said she didn’t expect to win.

“We were worried about [Encino Elementary’s] planes,” she said. “They looked so aerodynamically cool.”