At the library: Space camp set for takeoff

Our Teen Services librarian, Justin Dinger, first hosted Space Camp in 2019. He saw a solicitation from NASA seeking sites to host summer classes for middle- and high school students. As a kid, Justin’s dream was to become an astronaut. He states that his math skills are not the best, so he settled for the second-best job in the world as a librarian.

That first year, Justin traveled to Ohio for training and to meet some of the scientists and engineers working on real-world NASA projects. This year, training was done via Zoom.

This year’s “NASA Space Camp: Sound Off!” will be held 1-4 p.m. Monday, July 17 through Friday, July 21 at the library. The camp is for students entering fifth through ninth grades. If you are interested, please give us a call at 218-879-1531 to check space availability.

I asked Justin some questions:

Q What is the nature of the NASA Space Camp?

A NASA Space Camp is a weeklong exploration of the engineering design process. Students are presented with a real problem and are tasked with working together to come up with a solution. Throughout the week we will meet (via Zoom) with NASA scientists and engineers to discuss the task. In addition to the main project, students will have the opportunity to learn about other aspects of the space program. On Thursday evening, campers and their families can watch the 1995 Hollywood movie “Apollo 13.” The film has been described by many engineers as an excellent depiction of the engineering design process.

Q What are you excited about with this year’s camp?

A Students will be learning about sound waves and how to effectively dampen them. Rockets and jets are very loud and NASA is always looking for ways to make them quieter without losing efficiency. I am also excited about a new teambuilding task. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll hold that one as a secret for now.

Q Anything else you would like to share about the camp?

A I have seen some great friendships formed among the campers. I have also seen some amazing and creative solutions to the tasks we’ve been given in the past. This camp is a great opportunity for any fifth-through-ninth-graders interested in science, space, or engineering.