In an empty studio room of the Clay Center in Charleston, West Virginia, Princeton Middle School students wriggle neon-colored ropes that coil and arc to the amusement of the youngsters.

It’s not all fun and games, though it looks that way from the smiles and giggles.

The students are getting lessons on gravitational waves and wave frequencies, courtesy of Science Behind the Sport at West Virginia University. It’s just one of many STEM-related activities for students from all across the Mountain State on NASA Day, sponsored by the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium at WVU. The Consortium focuses on building research infrastructure and the promotion of STEM education in West Virginia. In 2024, NASA Day celebrated its 10th anniversary of providing community outreach through demonstrations and activities centered around the world of science and space exploration.

“That is the frequency of the wave,” an instructor told the Princeton students as they moved the ropes. “Don’t think too hard about it and create some waves, up and down and side to side.”

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Original Post Date: April 8, 2025