Lobos' Hyperion on High Soars to the Sky

Much like the NASA space launches of the past half century, Lehman High School's launch of its Near Space balloon--carrying the camera and scientific instrument-packed Hyperion--took a little longer than anticipated to get off the ground. As at Cape Canaveral, enthusiastic spectators--including many elementary STEM students--waited patiently for everything to be in order, the balloon to be properly inflated, and teacher Ross Russell and his Radio Club team (and other involved students) to have the Hyperion securely tied to the balloon.

When left-off finally came, the balloon soared along with the imaginations of all present about how high and how far the Lobo-created combination would travel. By day's end the chase team of Russell and LHS teacher Elaine Hunt had retrieved the perfectly intact Hyperion, its instruments having recorded an ascent of 98,300 feet, and radio GPS/signal-documented a course that took the balloon as far east as Lexington, Texas, before running into stormy weather.
 

Stay tuned for more on this project as the Lehman contingent continues working toward a Guinness World Record. (ground photos by Jim Cullen; lift-off aerial photo by Hyperion)

Lehman Students Vie To Break World Record

Students Hope to Eventually Launch Paper Airplane from 17 Miles above Earth’s Surface

On May 4, 2012, at 11:15 a.m., select Lehman High School students will make their first test flight in an effort to break the Guinness Book of World Records record for the highest altitude paper plane launch. The students will try to lift a 5-pound payload with a high-altitude balloon above 89,591 feet – the current world record for the airplane launch. Though the Lehman Radio Club and journalism students – the groups who are participating – don’t anticipate trying to launch a paper airplane until sometime next school year, the test flights they conduct are critical opportunities to gather data and learn about space flight. In March, teachers Ross Russell, Judy Cooper, and Elaine Hunt were able to get a small balloon about 86,500 feet off the ground while exploring the feasibility of the making the effort a classroom project.

The students were inspired by a 2009 science contest called PARIS, or Paper Aircraft Released Into Space, which was sponsored by The Register, a British science and technology website, to spur interest in private space flight technology development. The word “space” in the project’s name referred to near space, not outer space, since it was not planned to launch a paper airplane above the 62 mile boundary line of outer space.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, “On 28 October 2010, at a location about 120 miles west of Madrid, Spain, a team of British space enthusiasts launched a paper plane into space from a helium balloon at an altitude of 89,591 feet (27,307.39 m) or 17 miles above the earth’s surface. The plane, Vulture 1, had a wingspan of three feet, was made of paper straws, covered in paper and it took a year to construct. The balloon was equipped with two cameras and tracker devices, and both plane and balloon were retrieved intact about 100 miles from the launch site.”

Meet the Lehman students at the May 4^th test flight and follow them on their quest to break the world record!

Lehman Navy JROTC Competes at Tarleton State

The Lehman High School Navy JROTC traveled to Stephenville recently, competing in the Tarleton State University Army ROTC Drill Meet. Placing efforts for the Lobo NJROTC included A'leya Banbury's 1st in Knock-out Drill, Cory Schmidt's 2nd in the Male Mile Run, and a 3rd place for Inspection Female Color Guard (Shelby White, Ana Montoya, Diana Jaco, A'leya Banbury). Highlight photos here are of the unit's Armed Drill Team performing, team member Hector Alvarado in the individual photo. (photos by Sherri Cygan)

LHS 2012 Girls State Rep and Alternate Named

Lehman High School proudly names two of its finest as the school's representative and alternative representative to 2012 Bluebonnet Girls State. Junior Victoria Van Wart (left) has been named the school's representative and classmate Kacy Petersen (right) has been named Alternate. Victoria is the daughter of Cindy and Mike Van Wart of Kyle and Kacy is the daughter of Julie and Bryan Petersen of Kyle. Bluebonnet Girls State will be held on the campus of Texas Lutheran College in Seguin, June 10-16. (photo by Jim Cullen)

Lady Lobo Basketball Pair Named Academic All-State

Two outstanding members of the Lehman High School Lady Lobos basketball team have been named to the Academic All-State Team. Seniors Anissa Robles and Amara Smith qualified by maintaining a GPA of 92 or better for seven semesters. (photo by Jim Cullen)

LHS Cheerleaders are WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!

World Champions! That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Your LoboVarsity Cheerleaders won the Universal Cheerleaders Association Small Coed Team Cheer World Championship in Orlando, Florida on February 12^th.

Lehman Color Guard is State Champion!

The Lobos Color Guard earned the top slot in the state March 24, 2012, at competition for the 2012 Texas Color Guard Circuit Regional A State Championship. Competition was tough. Katy, Kempner, and Judson high schools rounded out the top four. Lehman High School scored 87.7, compared with Katy's 86.6, Kemper's 86.4, and Judson's 85.7. There were 81 school competing at State in this division.
“It has been a truly amazing season with a young, but passionate group of students," said Johnnie Green, Lehman Color Guard Director. "Words can not begin to tell you how proud I am of their work, their dedication, and their commitment to excellence! Please congratulate these OUTSTANDING performers when you see them, sporting their well deserved GOLD MEDALS!" Freshmen members make up 70% of the Lehman Color Guard. Look for continued success from these outstanding athletes in the coming years.