NASA Steering Warren County Students To Aerospace Careers

At Warren County High School, The

Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy

(SEMAA) has taken off like a rocket, motivating numbers of students to pursue careers in science and math.

"It's definitely got me interested in piloting airplanes. It's definitely a good experience," junior Paul Anderson said.

Senior Brandon Penn, an assistant instructor, knows the classroom inside out and likes to share his knowledge with younger kids.

"They really enjoy what they are doing, and at the same time, they are gaining an understanding in science and mathematics," he said.

"We are currently in our fifth year and appropriately 4,000 kids have been through this program," instructor Celeste Brown said.

Students meet during school, on Saturday and even during the summer.

"Our summers are our most busy time. We [have] close to 500 kids in the summer in a month, so it keeps us busy," Brown said.

Designed by NASA, the computerized classroom features flight simulators. There are two labs in North Carolina -- the one near Warrenton and another in Winston-Salem. Over the summer, the classroom is open to students from anywhere in the state.