The grade school students waited patiently, sitting all around Studley quad, as camp counsellor Ben Parker prepared the rocket for launch. There were a few technical snags, but it wasn't long before the rocket shot full-speed into the sky, leaving a trail of smoke behind it and ending up on the other side of the Chemistry Building.
Some of the students watched intensely; others went to chase after the rocket. And almost all of them cheered.
If you've spent time on campus this summer, you've likely heard lots of those cheers. They're common place at SuperNOVA's week-long summer camps, put on by undergrad students for kids and teens from grades 1 to 12. The student-run, not-for-profit organization promotes science, engineering and technology to youth across Nova Scotia. For the campers, it's a chance to come to campus and explore those topics in hands-on, sometimes even explosive, ways.
SuperNOVA has a 15-year history, a milestone that will be celebrated this Friday evening with a birthday party on the Sexton Campus field between 5 and 8 p.m. SuperSTAFF members will be running various science, engineering and technology activities for party-goers of all ages and there will be a cash BBQ as well.
The evening's guest speaker will be Mary Anne White, Dalhousie chemistry professor and CBC Radio call-in show regular. She'll be joined by long-time SuperNOVA campers and past directors. All are welcome to attend.