Outside Granby Elementary School, third and fourth graders roared as paper rockets shot to the sky. Granby dad Nathan Thum built the launchers to help students explore energy and motion.

Nathan’s grin and the students’ overwhelming joy as they egg him on capture the power of hands-on learning and the impact of parent involvement in education.

The stomp rocket lesson grew out of a casual conversation with science teacher Jenny Beirne. Nathan suggested an interactive way to teach energy, and soon he was signed up to volunteer. His children were especially proud to see him in action.

“They appreciate both of us being involved and showing up to their classrooms,” Nathan said. “They take pride and joy in it.”

For him, experiential learning is key: some kids thrive with books, others with projects they can touch and build. Rockets, he says, spark imagination in students who might not connect as easily with text.

Moments like these let kids put their education into action, while parents like Nathan and his wife, Ashley, weave themselves into that process.

Nathan and Ashley reflect a truth often overlooked. In small communities like Grand County, parents don’t need to be spectators in education. They can be participants who shape the learning environment.

Nathan points to Ashley as a prime example, noting her tendency to read to the class, bring snacks, and get to know students individually.

Parental involvement is important to the Thums, who credit their own parents as role models. Nathan’s father coached sports and led creative projects, an ideal he has sought to replicate.

Ashley’s work with Newbees Kids Co., a children’s resale shop in town, dovetails with her school involvement. Providing affordable clothing and gear for growing kids is one part of her mission. Being a familiar, caring adult in the classroom is another.

“She’s worked hard for that, and also being tied in with the school and knowing a lot of the kids and parents has been important to her,” Nathan explained.

Nathan reflected that Grand County’s slower pace makes this kind of involvement possible, offering more time for personal connection. The district encourages these relationships through programs like Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students), a national initiative that invites fathers and father figures to volunteer in schools as positive role models and extra support.

Nathan encourages any parent interested in helping to reach out to the school and see how they can contribute.

“It’s probably easier to connect and be helpful in some way than you might think,” he said.

Nathan and Beirne hope to make stomp rocket a recurring lesson in the fourth-grade energy unit. He envisions students designing and launching their own rockets — projects they can then take home.

The Thrums’ example reminds Grand County that learning is a shared endeavor. Parents who bring their talents and passions to school create ripples that spread through students and classrooms.

For Nathan and Ashley, the rockets are the beginning. They’ll continue to find ways to grow the creativity and imagination of Grand County’s children.