Everything is A-OK, Lincoln

Homemade Water Propelled Bottle Rocket

Project HOPE students at the Lincoln School Teen Center probably have no historic reference to that familiar astronaut phrase from the 1960s and early 70s.  A group of youngsters had no problem though, with a blast-off countdown as they prepared to launch a couple of 2 liter bottle rockets from the Lincoln School playground this past Friday, August 31. 

Project HOPE director, Lori Hammer, said the kids had been working on the project since last week.  They started putting together lengths of PVC pipe which would serve as the gantry and fuel mechanism used to launch the plastic bottles about 60 feet into the air using water and air pressure.   

Preparing for the Countdown

 Byron Hall, one of the long time volunteers at the Teen Center, said he researched how to build the two contraptions from watching a You Tube video and helped the kids put the framework together.  About two dozen youngsters hooked all the necessary elements together and primed the device using a bicycle pump to supply the air pressure.  With a “3-2-1” from several different voices, someone pulled the release cord and the bottle was on its way.  That accounted for a portion of Friday morning activities, August 31, at the Teen Center. 

Hammer said other activities were also underway at the re-opened Lincoln School.  “We had 140 students come by earlier in the week and we generally average around 120 a day now,” she explained.  The former Teen Center on East Elm Street was abandoned several weeks ago in favor of the roomier and more accommodating Lincoln School.  Some students were using clay to model letters and numerals under the direction of volunteer, Barbara Preskorn in one classroom, and Hammer said another volunteer, Connie Hill, from Prowers Medical Center was conducting a candy-stripers class. 

Classroom Work in Clay

 All the kids, about 25 this past Friday, took a timeout in the gym for a fruit snack, courtesy of Thriftway in Lamar.  Apples, oranges, grapes and bananas didn’t last very long as each kid lined up to select from the bowls.  Hammer said volunteers are contacting businesses for donations of this nature.  “We have a fund raising committee this year,” she said, adding, “We plan to have on open house sometime in early October and that’ll be combined with a fund-raising chili supper at the school.”  

Ready for a Daily Snack

 Kids had the chance to shoot some hoops in the gym and the rest moved outdoors to get some lessons and experience on some donated skateboards.  Friday events at the Teen Center are programmed to offer alternatives to idle time for some of the younger students, now that the Lamar school system is on a four day week for the first time this year.

By Russ Baldwin