Piedmont Elementary School Students launched a weather balloon as part of a STEM project underwritten by St. Louis County and Essentia Health for local elementary and junior high schools.

It’s expected to carry the student’s science experiments 100,000 ft above the earth.

Event organizer Ryan Kern says it’s about giving kids a hands-on learning experience, “Really what we do is we just continue to educate. We continue to educate about aviation, about STEM careers.”

Students from Mrs. Schweiger’s class will learn about the atmosphere and stratosphere, along with UV rays and air pressure changes.