Rare show in space sparks kids’ interest in STEM

Salinas High School students had the chance to catch a glimpse of Mercury’s transit in front of the sun. The morning clouds blocked the viewing party but that didn’t dampen the students’ enthusiasm for science.

Astronomy Club members showed up to school an hour and a half early to set up four telescopes, to put in perspective of how big the universe is.

“Some students don’t understand how big the sun is or what our solar system is really like, but if they see it like this it’ll be more realistic to them,” said Miles Ruvalcaba, a Salinas High Senior and Vice President of the Astronomy Club.

In addition to the telescopes, Salinas High is the only public school in California with an observatory on campus. And astronomy teacher Philip Deutschle said a rare event like this is a great way for students to learn in a hands on environment.

“At events like this where we’re doing hands on science, is the type of thing that sparks a student’s interest,” said Deutschle.

Deutschle feels that the focus on science in the classroom is growing and there’s a big emphasis on STEM, a curriculum based on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“Because I think more than any other field, that is a direct conduit to work,” said Deutschle. “There are jobs for everybody.”

“It’s such a vast science, there’s so many things you can do with it. There’s engineering aspects, there’s photography aspects, and the actual physical aspects to it,” said Ruvalcaba.

Yet astronomers aren’t the only ones who should appreciate a rare event like today’s transit.

“We find more and more interest, and even if they’re not astronomers, that understanding of how the world works is useful for anything somebody is going to do in their life,” said Deutschle.