Sharing knowledge: Next generation inspired by a real rocket scientist

Meschberger, a solid rocket propulsion engineer, began spreading his love for science to younger generations while living in Peoria, Arizona.

"We used to do a lot of work at the Challenger Center up there — we used to bring the ejector seats into the school," he said about visiting his daughter's class. "So, after that they invited me back to do some stuff."

In 2012, Meschberger and his family moved to Sahuarita, where he found there wasn't anything similar to the Challenger Center for young people.

"We went to Pima Air and Space, we went to Titan Missile Museum — they were doing the same sort of stuff," he said.

At the time, Meschberger also started going into his youngest daughter's Sahuarita class to provide extra science lessons with the teachers. But without a Challenger Center-type of facility in the area, Meschberger and his family decided to fill the gap.

"So my wife let us start our own company," Meschberger said. "Rather than complain about it, do something about it."

In 2016, Space Science Adventures hit the ground running, providing hands-on science lessons in Sahuarita Unified School District classrooms as a registered vendor.

"Over the years, we've developed curricula from the first grade all the way through to high school," Meschberger said. "Mostly, I do the elementary schools because I'm limited in my time."

Science fun

Meschberger had a busy April in SUSD's classrooms.

In addition to the partial eclipse, he held a parachute demonstration with second-graders April 12. And on Friday, he took an erosion table to a class so kids could learn the state standards in erosion, with students getting a chance to build their own river.

"It all boils down to when I was a kid in Indiana, no one ever told me I could be a rocket scientist, let alone the lead technologist for solid rocket motors," Meschberger said. "You know, you worked in the factory or you worked in a farm. Well, I want the next generation to know they could do whatever the heck they want."

During the eclipse, one student pointed to all the telescopes, saying the event was why she loved science.

Meschberger notices how the hands-on activities impact the students learning new concepts.

"It's really cool when you see them," he said. "We do roller coaster physics — and we teach them kinetic energy, potential energy, balancing forces and stuff — and it's really cool to see the kid say, 'Oh, I get it now.'"

Wrightson Ridge sixth-grade science teacher Michelle Roosma found the hands-on approach brings countless benefits to teaching complicated topics.

"I think so many of our kids learn better hands-on," she said. "So, this allows them to experience science in real life and not just read about it."

She also found the hands-on approach provides a boost for students who might struggle with traditional learning. Roosma said those students will end up excelling during the hands-on lessons Meschberger brings to the classroom, adding they even surpass their peers in performing the tasks.

"It's kind of an equalizer," she said. "So it kind of levels out the playing field, and those kids who don't always feel academically successful can feel hugely successful doing hands-on projects."

A needed resource

Meschberger's Space Science Adventures is a private business and collects a fee for time spent in the classrooms, but Roosma said it is typically a low-cost fee per student, especially compared to what the students receive in return.

The fees also don't cover the costs of his equipment, with Meschberger noting he would have many years ahead just to pay off the telescopes and other science-related tools with what he collects.

"That's the kind of stuff, because I'm a rocket scientist, my wife lets me invest in stuff that the teachers just never would be able to have," he said.

He also receives help from his family and parent volunteers to keep the lessons going.

During the eclipse, parents spent time keeping an eye on telescopes as students took turns looking through them and his son, Matt, and wife, Pennie, also joined him to help run the event. Meschberger said Matt even used vacation time to attend the Wrightson Ridge event with him.

Roosma, who started teaching in 1997, found without the resources Meschberger brings to SUSD, she wouldn't be able to do the activities they have.

"Before I met Mr. Meschberger over at Anza (Trail School), because I've been working with him for eight years, I never had any experiences like this for my kids," Roosma said, finding it a "huge" eye opener. "Because I was a specialized teacher — I've been specialized for 10 years — I already knew that the hands-on activities were more beneficial for kids when you could do them. But our resources as teachers are so limited, we're lucky we're buying pencils and paper and whiteboard markers — you know, nothing left over for expenditures."

Roosma said she was grateful to the administration and parents for working with Meschberger and other outside support to get those additional, out-of-reach resources to the students.

Right now, Meschberger focuses only on Sahuarita schools since he is still a working engineer, recently moving to a four-day work week.

"The demand is just greater than I can do and still put my daughter through college," Meschberger joked, adding it's probably good for keeping him in the workforce. "Don't get me wrong, I love doing rockets, but I've been doing them since the Reagan Administration. So, I'm ready to dial it back a little bit and inspire the next generation of guys to get to do what they love for 40 years."