Allan Hancock College Community Education will offer science classes for kids this summer at its Santa Maria campus and at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Classes begin as early as this Saturday.

In Santa Maria, a class in math/engineering/computer science is offered Monday through Thursday, June 17-27, from 9 a.m. to noon for students entering seventh, eighth and ninth grades in the fall. Students explore various areas of math, engineering and science not normally taught in the K-12 classroom. Kids also design and build their own solar-powered vehicle, program a computer game and learn the ancient Egyptian system of mathematics. Fees apply.

Also offered on the Santa Maria campus is a new class, Inside the Human Body, in which students explore the human body’s systems, including how we breathe and how the heart works. The class meets on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 16-17, from 9 a.m. to noon for ages 12 to 15, and July 23-24 for ages 9 to 11. Fees apply.

At the Vandenberg AFB Endeavor Center, classes in Rocketry introduce students to NASA’s space programs and missions. Students will learn about gravity and atmosphere and how to apply the laws of motion to space flight. They will also build and launch their own model rocket. Classes meet this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for ages 8 to 11 and on June 22 for ages 12 to 15. Fees apply.

In Astronomy & Telescopes, students learn about the cosmos, planets and asteroids; how to use different types of telescopes; and even build their own refractor telescope. Classes meet on Saturday, July 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for ages 8 to 11 and on July 20 for ages 12 to 15 at the Endeavor Center. Fees apply.

These classes were developed with the support of a Hispanic Serving Institution STEM & Articulation program from the U.S. Department of Education.

Register in person at Community Education (Building S) on the Santa Maria campus. For complete class information and fees, go online by clicking here and click Class Search, select the Summer 2013 term, then Community Service/Fee-Based. Print copies of the summer 2013 Spectrum schedule of Community Education classes are also available at all campus locations.

For more information, call 805.922.6966 x3209.

— Sonja Oglesby is a public affairs and publications technician for Allan Hancock College.