Exploring Technological Advancements in the Railroad Industry

This year’s Junior Engineers, Tomorrow’s Scientists (JETS) students will enjoy hands-on experiences and real-life problem solving. Student’s work will focus on how technology is changing the railroad industry.

Classes will be offered in the following categories. Students may sign up for one class but will need to rank their class choices.

All of the JETS classes are taught by professional engineers and scientists.

Classes will take place on Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:00p.m. starting January 18, 2024-May 2, 2024. Classes will be held at Vega Collegiate Academy at 1400 Yosemite St. Aurora 80010.

Registration for this program is now full. To place your student on a waitlist for this program, email enroll@cabpes.org with your student’s name, grade and your contact information.

Choose from these course options:

Robotics and Drones – Students will learn about Drones and Robotics Technologies. They will learn how engineers and scientists use drones and robotics to help solve engineering problems.  The class will address how drones and robotics are used in the railroad industry. Students will get the opportunity to build drones and robots as their final project in the class. This class is for 5th grade. 

Aerospace Engineering – Students will learn about rockets, airplanes, and how they have taken humans worldwide and into outer space. Students will build rockets. As a final project, they will research and discuss aerodynamics that support the railroad industry.  This class is for 7th and 8th grade.

Architecture – Students will learn the difference between becoming an architect and an engineer. They will learn what it takes to become a licensed architect from Colorado’s first African American female architect. Class participants will also learn about interior design and how architects use their imagination to design some of the most elegant structures in the world. As a final project, students will create a multi-stop train depot/station. This class is for 7th – 9th grade.

Construction Management  – This class provides a background of the professions and processes associated with building a project from idea conception through the process to the build and delivery of the final product. Students will learn how contractors build structures such as buildings, sidewalks, and other facilities. They will learn about construction in the railroad industry.  Students will participate in joint classes with the civil engineering and architecture classes. This class is for 6th and 7th grade.

Civil Engineering: Transportation– Students will learn how civil engineers design roads, highways, bridges, and other infrastructure so that people can travel safely to work, go on vacations and enjoy the beautiful cities in the United States. Classes will focus on numerous hands-on activities and designing infrastructure associated with the railroad industry . Students will create bridge models as part of the final project. This class is for 7th – 9th grade.

Civil Engineering: Water and Waste Water – Students will learn about different types of water engineering.  They will learn about where water comes from, how water is protected, how water is used, and how water is treated.  Careers in water engineering and the ethics of water engineering will be discussed.  Students will learn the difference between water treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants. Class participants will enjoy hands-on engineering activities. As a final project, students will build models of water/wastewater treatment plants that support the railroad industry.  This class is for 9th – 12th grade.

Computer Science – In the computer science class, students will learn coding using the Python programming language. They will work on progressively more complex apps. Their final project will be coding that supports the railroad industry. This class is for 10th and 11th grade.

Project Management – Students will learn how project managers plan, schedule, and develop budgets to build multimillion- dollar engineering projects for major cities worldwide. Project managers will be responsible for planning and scheduling systems for the 2024 JETS program featuring our theme of Exploring Technological Advancements in the Railroad Industry.  This class is for 11th and 12th grade.