Ogg sponsors Martin rocketry club
Rockets.
That’s what pre-AP geometry teacher Josh Ogg is going so spend the prize money on that he just won.
The Martin STEM Academy teacher was named the Fort Worth Chapter Air and Space Forces Teacher of the Year in a surprise visit last month from David Dietsch, of the Air and Space Forces Association, Dan Dipert and Arlington ISD superintendent Dr. Matt Smith.
“We thank you for what you’re doing,” Dietsch told Ogg as he presented the certificate and $500 award.
“We’re going to make some cool rockets with this,” Ogg said.
Ogg is the faculty sponsor for the Martin Aeronautical Rocketry Society (MARS), which was founded by one of Ogg’s former STEM students, Londyn Franklin.
The club taps into two of Ogg’s passions: space flight and inspiring students.
“I have always enjoyed space flight and making model rockets,” Ogg said. “I give a mean tour of the Saturn V rocket at Johnson Space Center during our trip each year and saw MARS as an excellent opportunity to introduce students to rocketry and get them involved.”
That’s exactly what he’s done over the last two years, guiding the MARS students to compete in the American Rocketry Challenge.
“This year’s challenge had us sending a rocket with a payload of two chicken eggs, mounted horizontally, to an altitude of 790 feet,” Ogg said. “It is such a joy to see students working together to do rocket science, trying to earn a spot on the national stage.”
The club is growing, and Ogg is hoping to add additional competitions – like the StellarXplorers Competiton – next year.
“I plan to use the prize money to further support MARS,” Ogg said. “We are growing to a point where we may need two teams next year, and the additional funds would help us let both teams compete.”