D11’s Second Annual Rocket Day Launches Hands-On Learning For Every 5th Grader Through Peak Experiences (Photo) - 05/08/26
Colorado Springs, CO — May 2026 — Colorado Springs School District 11 is once again preparing for liftoff as every 5th grade student across the district participates in the second annual Rocket Day Peak Experience, taking place May 8, 12, and 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Building on the incredible success of last year’s launches, Rocket Day continues to immerse students in real-world STEM learning through hands-on rocket design, engineering, data collection, and flight testing. This year, due to regional fire restrictions and Colorado’s ongoing focus on wildfire prevention and land stewardship, the event has thoughtfully pivoted from traditional model rockets to water rockets, transforming a challenge into an opportunity for innovation, resilience, adaptability, and learning.
The district-wide event will take place at Memorial Park and is supported through partnerships with Lockheed Martin, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Estes Rockets, and Colorado Springs Rocket Society.
Media and community members are invited to attend:
Memorial Park – Rose Bowl Area
May 7, 8, 12, and 13, 2026
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
In classrooms leading up to launch day, students study flight, force, pressure, engineering design, and problem-solving through the district’s hands-on instructional model. On launch day, they put their learning into action by designing, testing, and launching water rockets while working alongside engineers, scientists, and community experts.
“This is exactly what Peak Experiences are designed to do,” said Superintendent Michael Gaal. “We want students learning beyond the walls of the classroom through meaningful experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives. Rocket Day combines STEM, creativity, teamwork, adaptability, and community partnership in a way that truly brings learning to life.”
Rocket Day is part of District 11’s growing Peak Experiences initiative, an innovative series of hands-on, experiential learning opportunities designed for every student at every school. D11 is the only district in the Colorado Springs area offering this level of systemwide experiential learning across grade levels, soon expanding to every grade level.
Additional Peak Experiences include:
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Kinderby (Kindergarten): Students design and race derby-style cars while exploring creativity, motion, and problem-solving
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Nature Navigators (2nd Grade): Students engage in outdoor environmental exploration and hands-on science learning
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PhilKids (3rd Grade): In partnership with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, students experience live music performance and arts integration
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Rocket Day (5th Grade): Students explore aerospace, engineering, and STEM careers through rocket design and launch
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Chalktober (8th Grade): Students transform spaces through large-scale collaborative chalk art and creative expression
Together, these experiences reflect D11’s commitment to expanding learning beyond textbooks and classrooms, ensuring every student has access to memorable, engaging opportunities that inspire curiosity, creativity, and future career exploration.
“As an organization with a strong focus on STEM engagement, we are thrilled to continue supporting D11 students through Rocket Day,” said David Virga. “Even with the pivot to water rockets, students will experience the same excitement, engineering principles, and joy of discovery that make this event so impactful.”
Whether launching rockets, composing music, exploring nature, building derby cars, or creating public art, D11 students are experiencing learning in ways that prepare them for the future, and show them what’s possible.
