Overview

The Tufts Rocketry Team is strongly committed to giving back to the community and inspiring the next generation of rocket scientists, engineers, and innovators. We believe that we can help make a difference in students’ lives from an early age, showing them what is possible and generating excitement for the field of space.

This year, we are significantly expanding our outreach program with local schools, ranging from kindergarten through to high school. We tailor our efforts to each age level so as to have the highest impact possible; please see our lesson ideas below for an idea of our approach.

For an example of our prior outreach with in the Tufts community, please see:

Tufts Community Day 2024 Outreach

Tufts Community Day 2023 Outreach

Elliot Pearson Children’s School, Fall 2024

St. Joseph School, Fall 2024

Why Give Back?

Despite the fact that Space captures the excitement and awe of many, the aerospace field, can be intimidating and challenging. Even the common adage “it’s not rocket science” carries with it the idea that rocketry is difficult and out of reach. We hope to break down that barrier and show kids that rocketry is an achievable career path—and at a broader level, we want the next generation to reach for the stars.

Every single member of the current leadership team joined with zero prior rocketry experience; we learned through doing, and from each other. Nearly all of us had some moment earlier in our childhood that ignited a passion for space—whether that was stomp rockets, launching small model rockets, building airplanes, or even seeing real rockets that had launched. We recognize the immense value those experiences have had, and hope to pass the favor onwards!

Resources

Tufts Rocketry Student Outreach Lesson Ideas.pdf