The Rocket Club was invited to hold a rocket building booth in the ‘Wings Over Camarillo Air Show’ Aug. 19.

‘Wings Over Camarillo,’ is an organization that, according to their website, “promotes aviation and its heritage, while inspiring youth with aviation related programs, education and leadership opportunities.”

The annual event included a car show, an air show, food vendors and musical performers like Dr. Infinity. Rocket Club displayed their work in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Pavilion.

“We’re here to get kids interested in STEM and we’re doing that through rocketry,” junior Cameron Sloan said.

Sloan said the best way to get students interested in aviation is through a public forum, such as the ‘Wings Over Camarillo’ event.

“I’ve learned that being here at a more public event can really help get kids interested in STEM, and people get more interested in rocketry,” Sloan said. “I think it’s really going to help the future.”

Rocket Club bought small rocket kits to build with spectators.

“I’ve definitely learned a lot, but one of the best things I’ve learned is teaching [people] how to build rockets,” junior Rithwick Adicherla said. “Especially teaching little kids — it’s really satisfying.”

Oak Park High School Superintendent, Tony Knight, along with the National Association of Rocketry mentor and retired airline pilot, Paul Avery, and alumnus and former Rocket Club president, Utsav Anantbhat, joined the Rocket Club for the event.

“Aviation, aeronautics, aerospace engineering, rocketry. We want to get kids thinking about it,” Knight said.

According to Knight, helping children build rockets is a great way to educate people about aviation.

“Lots of people are interested in rockets and don’t know a lot about them,” Knight said. “If we’re going to build a new generation, the next generation of space engineers and astronauts and all that, we have to start when they’re very young.”