A Welcome Message from   NAR President, Trip Barber

Dear Educator,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, volunteers, and members of the National Association of Rocketry, let me welcome you to the fun, excitement, and challenge of the world's first and largest sport rocketry organization! We are a non-profit all-volunteer organization founded in 1958 to promote safe hobby rocketry as an educational and recreational activity. Our hobby, when conducted in accordance with our Safety Codes, is one of the safest outdoor activities in America. No one has ever been killed flying model rockets in the hobby's 50-plus year history.

As America's elite educators, you have the technology future of our country in your classrooms today. Those of us who know how important it is for the country to retain its technical leadership salute your dedication and diligence. I hope the NAR can help you enrich the technology learning experience for your students, and make your job as an educator a bit easier.

Many of you already know sport rocketry can be an exciting and motivational teaching tool. Rockets can help make the physics and math coursework from the classroom a real and hands-on experience. Rocketry projects can spark discussions around design tradeoffs for a "real world" mission. Working as a group on such projects teaches leadership and teamwork. These are the all the skills needed by the next generation of professionals that we need to inspire. Our biggest and best program for using rocketry to teach these skills in a school program is the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC). See the event's website www.rocketcontest.org

Those of you new to the rocketry classroom experience often tell me you need help "launching" your first classroom rocketry experience. This CD is a compilation of resources to help you do that. You're free to use as many of these as fits your particular grade level, time frames, and commitments. We welcome suggestions for changes, improvements, and additions to this material. Simply write NAR HQ or contact us by email Education@nar.org

I invite you to explore the NAR's two programs for financial support. Our Teacher Grants help recognize and support teachers actively using sport rocketry. The NAR also provides some modest scholarship support for students in post-secondary education. Details for both programs are available on this CD-ROM and on the NAR website at our central resource spot for educators and youth group leaders, www.nar.org/teacher.html

If you like what you see on this CD and want to become an active user of rocketry for your classroom or for your own fun, I urge you to consider becoming a member of our Association. NAR membership includes 6 issues a year of the 48-page all-color Sport Rocketry magazine (the hobby's best); a 60-page "how to" guide to the hobby (our Member Guidebook); flight liability insurance; user certification for high-power rocket flying; and many other benefits. You can join online at www.nar.org/NARjoin.html

Welcome to the educational world of the NAR. We look forward to working and flying with you

Sincerely,  Trip Barber, President  National Association of Rocketry