Sometimes Kids Learn Things Without My Help

 

I've taught my older son Alex many valuable things:

1) how to juggle a soccer ball;

2) how to serve a tennis ball;

3) how to throw a football

4) maybe something about writing an essay?

but I certainly didn't teach him how to run a Rocket Propulsion Club, use modeling software and 3-D printing technology, launch rockets into the stratosphere, assign teams to build the various components of these rockets, buy large amounts of rocketry and electronic equipment and get reimbursed for it, work in conjunction with the Rutgers Rocket Propulsion Club and use their facilities, and finally:

propose and win a two-thousand dollar grant (largely aided by him filming and painstakingly editing a really sharp video . . . though he doesn't wear glasses-- he just put some on so he would look smarter)

he learned this stuff all on his own, with no input or advice or help from me . . . crazy right?

6 comments:

zman said...

Congratulations Alex! And perhaps you taught him how to learn.

Dave said...

maybe . . . but not learn physics and math . . . i don't know where that came from.

zman said...

So I watched the video and I'm blown away by the production quality and the lofty (pun!) goals. It would be terrifying if we had supersonic rocket propulsion technology in Unit M, we never would have used those powers for good. Do you have a link to donate to the HPRLP?

Whitney said...

That is amazing. How do they not hit planes?

Dave said...

they have to go to special sites to launch-- farms and such. the next one is in upstate new york, then if they do the big one, they will have to drive to new mexico.

Dave said...

Alex said donations are really annoying now-- you have to mail a check made out to Highland Park High School with a note that it goes to RPL (Rocket Propulsion Club) but they are going to be selling t-shirts soon. wait for that. I'm excited to get a t-shirt as well . . .

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