10-05-2025
Taft Middle School looks to propel students towards future in rocket science
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Students at San Diego's Taft Middle School are getting a taste of rocket science as part of a new program to further their STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and math — curriculum.
The program, which allows students to learn hands-on what it takes to send astronauts into space, is the only one of its kind in the city.
'We at Taft Middle School are on the cusp of what is up-and-coming and the next up-in-coming segment in engineering is aerospace,' said Hortencia Garcia-Rubio, principal of Taft Middle School.
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'I'd love to be the first person to step on Mars,' said Casen Addy, a student at Taft who participated in a launch event on Fiesta Island Friday, expressing excitement about the program.
The aerospace initative was introduced as part of a collaboration with STEAMWorks, which provides all the parts needed for the students' projects. Students each load a rocket onto a launch pad and shoot them into the sky, simulating real-world aerospace engineering tasks.
John Pacente, SteamWorks CEO, explained the experience gives students a leg up looking ahead to college applications, on top of sparking an interest in the industry as a potential career path.
While many of these students are getting their first exposure to aerospace, at least one said it has been a dream for a long time.
'It inspires me. When I was like 3 [years old], I had an interest in rocket science stuff,' Kisen Durand, another student, said of his passion. 'I wanted to launch my own and today I did.'
As the only middle school in San Diego with a rocket program, Taft is offering its students a unique chance to engage with aerospace technology in a way that could propel them to other opportunities in high school and beyond.
With this program, Taft Middle School students are gaining valuable experience that could shape their future careers in aerospace and beyond.
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