Students in Lisa Mathern’s class at Monticello High School recently enjoyed an engaging, hands-on lesson that brought math and science to life, thanks to a visit from Commander of Civil Air Patrol’s Sullivan County Cadet Squadron Claire Sullivan and Senior Master Sergeant Bill Mason of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
The visitors began by introducing students to the Civil Air Patrol—an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force made up of 55,000 civilian volunteers who serve their communities through emergency services like search and rescue and disaster relief. CAP also promotes aerospace education and runs a cadet program focused on leadership, aerospace, fitness, and character development. Captain Sullivan currently leads the CAP Cadet Squadron, while Captain Mason previously served in that role.
Following their introduction, they led students through a variety of interactive activities and demonstrations that illustrated scientific concepts such as Newton’s laws of motion, inertia, gravity, and the ricochet effect. They also shared a brief history of rocketry.
The highlight of the day came when the class moved outside to the school’s amphitheater for a “fizzing rocket” experiment. Using a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid in film canisters, students launched mini rockets into the air. Excitement ran high as they tested different methods to maximize launch height, applying what they’d just learned.
Monticello High School extends a heartfelt thank-you to Captain Sullivan and Senior Master Sergeant Mason for sharing their expertise and for their continued service to Sullivan County.