Latest news with #HazletonAreaAcademy
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Robotics class sends off high-altitude weather balloon
DRUMS, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The phrase 'teamwork makes the dream work' has become popular ever since a clergyman coined it a couple of decades ago. The expression certainly applies to some local students. They achieved their dream of having a class project take flight quite literally. Juniors and seniors at Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences received their marching orders for a high-flying project in John Berta's robotics class. Their project? To launch a 42-foot high-altitude weather balloon more than 100,000 feet into the atmosphere. They worked on this project for several weeks, a project the school has done in previous years. 'I was like really kind of nervous because it was such, like, a tedious process on the ground getting, making sure everything was okay,' said graduating senior Avery Sherman of Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. This year's launch marked a first. Never before had the class attempted one in the evening. They scheduled this launch at around 7:30 p.m., well after school hours. 'The goal here was to try and time the max height of the balloon with at least on, or about, sunset so that we can see the line of sunset across the earth,' teacher John Berta explained. 'So what's going to happen is as it goes up, it's going to start to pull this up, so everybody kind of has to give with it,' said Berta. Before the launch, much needs to be done, including getting enough helium, building a payload container, and even alerting the Air Force about their high-in-the-sky project. Teen artist 'blooming' into her craft 'Funny enough, it's a lot of prep work and making sure lights blink properly,' said graduating senior Ryan Brislin of Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. With a tracking device and a 360-degree GoPro camera firmly attached, it is finally 'go' time. The onboard camera from above captures the jubilation down below. 'A lot of people don't think that much work goes into this stuff, but its great seeing all the work you put into it and then it's a simple thing, so we launched a balloon to the sky, but to think about how much work went into it and the aftermath and everything, it's awesome,' explained Evan Thomas, graduating senior from Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. The camera captured the breathtaking view of the sun setting along the curvature of the Earth. The project is something Mr. Berta's students will likely never forget, among them a 'Here's to You Kid' from January 2025, Eagle Scout Paige Greco. Girl Scout helping a dying bat population with bat boxes 'Yeah, it was definitely really nerve-wracking like all throughout school I was like stressing, but it's so, it was so relieving and a really good memory to be able to say that that happened,' said Greco. Mr. Berta tells 28/22 News the high-altitude balloon burst in roughly two hours and landed about 50 miles from Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. He recovered the payload two days later from 40 feet up in a tree at Camp Canadensis in the Poconos. To the 2025 robotics class at Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences, here's to you, kids! If you have a kid you think should be featured on Here's To You Kid!, send in a nomination online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Highschool caps off year launching a weather balloon
HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— Students from the Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences marked their school year's end with a high-flying science experiment. The robotics class launched their annual high-altitude weather balloon from the campus in drums. This year's marks a first, with students aiming for a nighttime launch to capture the earth's curvature at sunset. New technology helping stroke victims rehab Juniors and seniors spent months preparing the helium balloon, camera equipment, and payload to reach and capture the view more than 100-thousand feet in the air. 'It was definitely really nerve-wracking, like all throughout school I was like stressing, but it was so relieving and a really good memory to be able to say that that happened today in my senior year,' expressed Paige Greco, senior, Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. 'A lot of people don't think that much work goes into this stuff, but its great seeing all the work he put into it and then it's a simple thing. We launched a balloon to the sky, but to think about how much work went into it and the aftermath and everything, it's awesome,' added Evan Thomas, senior, Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. Their instructor says they hope their cameras capture not just a stunning sunset, but possibly lightning from storms and city lights from far above. The balloon should land somewhere near northwest New Jersey, with recovery planned for Saturday morning if it doesn't get stuck in a tree like last year's balloon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
