On Monday February 26th and Tuesday February 27th students in AP Physics 1 along with two extra students from Engineering classes took a trip to the Cradle of Aviation to take a two day college course on composite materials. 

Working from 9AM to 5PM students worked hard during their 8 hour days learning in all sorts of forms like hours of college lectures, hands-on lab work with composite materials, time to explore the history of composite in aerospace in the museum, and of course passing a final at the end of the course. 

Although the students did not get the instructors last names, they described Carl and Susan as well as they could have. Junior Mike Nickey said that,” Carl spoke with such a captivating manner. He expanded his lifelong passion for composites to his students.”

Another student on the trip, Mike Sheahan described the other instructor Susan as, “Although she was a little strict about the schedule she made the trip fun as she was a great tour guide in the museum and was funny as well.”

Despite the long days, students enjoyed the field trip citing the free time they had during lunch to explore the museum and the instructors as key reasons. Junior Mike Nickey said, “It was fun going around the Cradle telling the JROTC people that Zach [myself] was a pilot.” 

Mike went on to explain how one of the instructors, Carl, “made 16 hours of college lectures extremely fascinating and enjoyable.”

All in all the trip provided a unique opportunity to Bethpage Students to experience a college class while also learning about a growing industry: composites.