In 2021, Craft Lake City launched our STEM programming into the stratosphere with a fun & informative rocket program at our annual DIY Fest. We’re over the moon to announce that we’re extending our rocket launch project into year-round programming for schools all around the SLC area with the support of Google Fiber! Craft Lake City’s brand new Google Fiber sponsored Rocket Launch program brings DIY water rockets to local elementary and high schools, encouraging kids to engage with STEM topics in an exciting and interactive way.
| Watch These Rockets in Action on Our TikTok! |
Craft Lake City kicked off our year-round version of the Google Fiber sponsored Rocket Launch on April 6 at Whittier Elementary, where we had approximately 500 attendees, including students and their families. Participants tested methods for using water and air pressure to launch their own personalized 2-liter bottles high into the sky. This program will continue at Granger High on May 3, Washington Elementary on May 4, Granger Elementary on May 26, and at Valley High in June (date TBD). With over 1,200 already confirmed attendees and thousands of additional students invited, this wide reaching program is sure to have a major impact on the youth in our community! Interested in helping out? Click the links below to sign up to volunteer!
| Volunteer at the May 4 Rocket Launch |
| Volunteer at the May 26 Rocket Launch |
This impactful program got its start at last year’s DIY Fest, where hundreds of participants turned 2 liter plastic bottles (donated by Shasta) into scientific rocket experiments, exploring aerodynamic design and testing the ratio of water to air to illustrate Newton’s famous third law of motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. By forcing compressed air into a 2 liter bottle that also contains a variable mass of water, then releasing the restraints, the water rockets can travel anywhere from 10 to 200 feet into the air. Finding the sweet spot in the ratio of water to air brings experiential learning to this uplifting activity, captivating adults and children alike and offering an entrypoint into the engineering method so that everyone can feel like a rocket scientist.
Interested in seeing the rocket launch in person? The rocket program will be back in action at the 14th Annual DIY Festival Presented by Harmons in the Google Fiber STEM Building. Participating in the rocket launch costs just $1, offering the chance to test each variable/design as many times as desired. Will you find the “equal and opposite reaction” that sends your rocket high above the festival? The countdown is on to find out!
The 14th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons will take place at the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City from Fri, Aug 12–Sun, Aug 14, 2022. Join our mailing list to be the first to know when tickets become available!
About Craft Lake City:
Founded in 2009 by Angela H. Brown, Executive Editor of SLUG (Salt Lake UnderGround) Magazine, Craft Lake City® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with the mission to educate, promote and inspire local artisans while elevating the creative culture of the Utah arts community through science, technology and art. Craft Lake City strives to further define the term “Craft,” by modernizing the definition for handmade creativity.
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Craft Lake City’s year-round programming is supported in part by the residents of Salt Lake County through the Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) Program, the Salt Lake Arts Council, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, and Utah Arts & Museums, with funding from the State of Utah and the National Endowment for the Arts.