Second-graders at Nelson Elementary School in Newport News proved recently that even the very young have more than a passing interest in the stars and planets.
Their receptive attitudes surprised quite a few teachers as well as the NASA researchers who had been invited to the school to give presentations on the solar system and space as part of the Peninsula-wide celebration of National Engineers Week, Feb. 17-23.
During the past week, approximately 250 local scientists and engineers participated in a teach-in effort at area schools to generate interest in engineering and science and its impact on the environment around us.
For nearly an hour, NASA researcher Geoffrey Tennille had the undivided attention of a class full of 7- and 8-year-olds at Nelson Elementary School in Newport News. None talked, squirmed or asked to be excused during the program. They weren't even ready to leave when the lunch bell sounded.
The students emphasized their interest through the question-and-answer period by probing deeper into various phases of space travel, planet formations and star locations.
``How can birds fly in gravity?'' asked Andrea Vitello, 8.
``What makes the rain come down? Why does the moon have holes?'' asked Jeremy Collette, also 8.
Danny McKay was interested in the rings of Saturn, while others wanted to know if an individual could walk on the rings.
Aras Eftekhari, whose father is a NASA physicist, was interested in the red spot on Jupiter, why robots are sent to explore some parts of space, and how gravity affects people, items and planets.
``It's amazing how attentive they have been. I'm really proud of the questions they have asked,'' says Anne Herdon, who teaches the second-grade class where Tennille spoke.
``I know that Mr. Tennille isn't use to talking to this age group, but he seems to know just what to say. He talked to them on their level, and won their admiration.''
Tennille says he wasn't nervous about giving the presentation to such a young audience, but he did wonder how long he would be able to hold their attention. ``I was their age once and remember some of my interests and needs,'' he says.
``They were a well-prepared class and asked some very good questions,'' the researcher says. ``It is always rewarding to know that children are truly interested in what is going on in space.''
Tennille, who holds five bachelor or master's degrees in astronomy, computer science, physics, applied mathematics and mathematics, and currently is working on a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering, says he relied heavily on his studies in astronomy when addressing the second-graders.
``I spoke on orbital determinations for rockets earlier in the day to a fifth-grade talented and gifted class. These students were also well prepared in their subjects. I've enjoyed the program, which is quite different from what I do on a daily basis,'' he says.
Tennille is head of NASA Langley Research Center's Super Computer Applications Group, where more sophisticated, faster-running computers are used than those used in a less scientific environment. His computer does a lot of consulting work with other researchers and engineers at the center. One of his more recent studies has involved atmospheric modeling to determine the trend for the green house affect over the last 50 or 60 years.
Though his schedule is busy, Tennille left none of the second-graders' questions unanswered, including the one about the moon being made of blue cheese. ``That idea came from an old belief,'' he told the children. ``Now we know the difference. Man has walked on the surface of the moon and has seen what it is really made of.''
There are 1.4 million engineers in the country, 32,000 in Virginia, 6,800 in Hampton Roads, and 2,540 on the Peninsula. There are 23 engineering societies in the area, which are part of the Peninsula Engineers Council. The members have supported projects in area schools for decades.
Other Engineers Week speakers at Nelson Elementary School were Stan Woodward, Bobby Braun and John Greco.