Enos Winner Kamalu Wants to Teach Rocket Course

Lucy Enos Memorial Scholarship recipient Jessica Kamalu graduated with honors from Kamehameha Schools in 2003. She received her bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian language in 2008, and is working toward a master’s degree in education.

She teaches high school mathematics at Ke Kula Kaiapuni ‘o Anuenue, a K – 12 Hawaiian immersion school. As a child Kamalu attended a Hawaiian immersion school and said of it, “…because of the program I am now able to speak Hawaiian and I have a better understanding of my culture. I am forever indebted to the program and I hope to be of benefit to the kids who are in the program now. As a teacher at Anuenue, I have the opportunity to give back to a program that has given so much to me.”

In her application, Kamalu expressed a desire “…to be able to relate rockets and space exploration to Hawaiian navigation, which is a fascinating aspect of Hawaiian culture and science. I would like to teach an elective course about rockets, including the history, evolution, and science behind them. I would like the students to build a variety of rockets throughout the course, and be able to compare and contrast the pros and cons of each.

“I launched my first Estes rocket when I was in the seventh grade, and participated in the Aviation Challenge program in the eighth grade. I was the kid with posters of space and astronauts on my wall. I would like to share my passion for space and flight with my students.

“As a participant in the Space Discovery Institute, I hope to learn different activities that I can use in the classroom, and how to integrate different subject areas into my lessons.”
 

This article is part of Space Watch: June 2009 (Volume: 8, Issue: 6).