Students see math, science at work

Seventy local middle school students from 14 Ventura County schools participated in the seventh annual National Engineer's Week event yesterday at NAVSEA Port Hueneme at Naval Base Ventura County.

The engineering competition helps students with an aptitude for math and science discover the world of engineering and expose them to the kinds of problem-solving challenges that engineers face.

It is an opportunity for students to apply what they are learning in school to a realworld scenario.

Each school sent five representatives and one math or science teacher. Each team was assisted by a NAVSEA Port Hueneme engineer.

Students toured the 9,000ton test ship and the Surface Warfare Engineering Facility on the base, allowing students to see how engineers use math and science to solve problems and develop conceptual ideas.

After the tours, each team was assigned a mission to create a "topsecret" project designed to engage the students in a variety of concepts such as aerodynamics, trajectory and pull of gravity.

Student teams presented their projects to a panel of judges and were scored on creativity, conceptual design, application, testing procedure/ results and application of knowledge collected from the tours.

Participating schools included Las Colinas Middle School, Los Altos Middle School and Los Primeros Structured School in Camarillo.

For more information, call (805) 228-6150.