Albuquerque Public Schools
Cleveland Students Launch STEM Learning
Posted
September 29, 2025,
10:01 AM.
Updated
September 29, 2025,
10:01 AM.
Student-built solar balloons soar thanks to a partnership with Sandia National Labs.
Cleveland Middle School is a proud partner with the ScienceHeads organization from Sandia National Labs. Together, we offer hands-on opportunities to support STEM literacy within the community and create experiential learning targets that generate excitement and unique possibilities for students. This experience connects new students with mentors who have completed the build before and it creates a peer partnership for successful completion of the project.
CMS was the first middle school in New Mexico to complete a student-led build and launch of a High Altitude Solar Balloon in the Spring of 2024. Since then, our Solar Balloon Builds have impacted over 300 students at CMS, and our builds have created launch opportunities for several other schools across New Mexico and Arizona. We have shared this unique experience with various news organizations and the APS Superintendent directly through student presentations.
This fall, CMS will be featured at two prominent events. The first is the launch of one of our student-built High Altitude Solar Balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on Friday, October 10, during the morning session. The second is an established interactive display at the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum demonstrating how a Solar Balloon works, and featuring the hard work of our CMS students!
Going forward, CMS continues to be the gold standard school for successful Solar Balloon builds and launches, and sets the precedent for all other schools that look to join this program as it expands.
CMS was the first middle school in New Mexico to complete a student-led build and launch of a High Altitude Solar Balloon in the Spring of 2024. Since then, our Solar Balloon Builds have impacted over 300 students at CMS, and our builds have created launch opportunities for several other schools across New Mexico and Arizona. We have shared this unique experience with various news organizations and the APS Superintendent directly through student presentations.
This fall, CMS will be featured at two prominent events. The first is the launch of one of our student-built High Altitude Solar Balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on Friday, October 10, during the morning session. The second is an established interactive display at the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum demonstrating how a Solar Balloon works, and featuring the hard work of our CMS students!
Going forward, CMS continues to be the gold standard school for successful Solar Balloon builds and launches, and sets the precedent for all other schools that look to join this program as it expands.