SAN ANGELO, Texas — Most people are probably familiar with the phrase, "It's not rocket science," which essentially means "It can't be that hard."
However, for some teenagers and young adults, rocket science is part of their everyday lives.
Stephens Central Library in San Angelo helps aid STEM enthusiasts in following their passions during its monthly Rocket Build Nights at 33 W. Beauregard Ave.
In the basement of the library, with rows of nose cones, motor tubes, parachute kits, couplers and plenty of glue available, creative minds join together to quite literally build rockets.
"It's kind of a funny, accidental story," Stephens Central Library assistant director Wanda Green said. "We started STEAM Central, the Maker Space, and we had someone from Workforce who had attended a rocketry competition and came in here to kind of do a tour and just mentioned that, you know, they had been to this competition, it was really cool, could we do that down here."
Around that same time approximately seven years ago, Green was introduced to Angelo State University engineering department professor Dr. William Kitch, an avid lover of all things rockets.
The library worked alongside Kitch on a pilot project and seven years later, the partnership still stands.
All of the materials for the monthly sessions have been provided through grant funding from the Institute of Library and Museum services, as has been happening for the last three years now.
In the summers, the library offers beginning and advanced camps where "They design the rocket, their goal is to get a stable rocket," Green said.
One participant, Lance, joined the camp this summer alongside his brother.
On Nov. 16, the Wall High School student worked to paint his small rockets and build one of his own.
"I'm just trying to gather supplies and relearn the software and stuff," Lance said.
Lance's mother Jennifer said their family often builds and shoots off rockets from home, an activity not many can say they actively participate in.
"We've done some and shot some rockets out there," she said. "But I think being able to come and do this and learn from everybody here has been really helpful."
Lance started out as most do by creating smaller rockets, but now he is onto the advanced level, attempting to make a creation of his own.
Not only that, but the teenager is also working with fellow classmates to start a rocketry club at their school.
According to Green, some of the library's rocketry participants have gone on to study engineering at Angelo State, Texas Tech University and Texas A&M.
"It's kind of a way to introduce kids to STEM and some of them really take to it and just run with it and turn it into careers," she said.
Not everyone can say they've built a rocket but with the right resources and education, maybe more people can.
