[3], http://amarillo.com/stories/021899/ent_grow.shtml, "Students prepare for upcoming lecture by Hickam", http://amarillo.com/stories/111400/new_hickam.shtml, https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Biography:Quentin_Wilson&oldid=491194. 2023 The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. [2] He came to Texas to find work in the oil business. He also shows the boys how helpful it is to only make one change to their rockets at a time in order to be able to pinpoint what works and what doesn't. This page was last edited on 14 March 2021, at 14:17. By the end, he's won the National Science Fair with his friends. Rocket Boys Wiki is a FANDOM Books Community. Wilson was born to Eston and Jessie Richardson Wilson, who had migrated to the West Virginia coalfields from subsistence farms in Carter County, Tennessee during the Great Depression. Nevertheless, hes a brilliant mathematician and a talented researcher who gives the BCMA some of their most important ideas regarding propulsion. William Laird. Quentin was born Nov. 21, 1942 in Warrior Mine, West Virginia to Eston and Jessie (nee Richardson) Wilson. Born Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. You just have to figure out how to light it. His intelligence helps him in his role as the group's scientist; in this role, he insists on patiently testing every change, and says every test adds to their ''body of knowledge.'' They also won a National Science Fair gold medal for their rockets and project titled "A Study of Amateur Rocketry Techniques.". He was the Coalwood Mine's superintendent and a mining engineer until his retirement due to Black Lung disease. Some of the. Reverend Josiah Lanier is the preacher for Coalwoods main church, which is owned by the same mining company that dominates town life. "The shuttle was the most expensive space launcher ever built and required an astonishing amount of maintenance and refurbishment after every flight to allow it to fly again. Behind his seeming arrogance is a determination to overcome his family's poverty and get to college. This is an allusion to the great auk, which is a flightless seabird that became extinct in the mid-19th century. Jake is nonetheless a wise, likeable young man, The founder of Coalwood, and the first man to mine for coal underneath it. He is determined to make it to college. It is also studied in many school systems around the world. Homer Hadley Hickam Sr. (b. 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Quentin is survived by his wife Janice Knighton Birkholz, daughters Laura Wilson of Hillsboro, OR, Jocelyn (Jocie) Buchanan and husband Kent of Amarillo TX, and Heather Wilson Hillsboro, OR; a sister Dr. Keren Brown Wilson of Happy Valley, OR; and grandchildren Lance Corp. Emilio Buchanan USMC, and Justin Buchanan. Well, that leaves Homer's father, Homer Sr. "Eventually, I did it because I realized I had a need to learn things that seemed hidden from me," he says. Quentin Wilson is an American engineer and is one of the original Rocket Boys. Quentin Wilson is an intelligent member of the Rocket Boys and the person who does the most math out of the entire group. His character in the Universal Pictures film "October Sky" was played by Chris Owen. Their conflict becomes an impasse, and they often fight. Quentin's attitude, which borders on arrogance at times, actually masks pretty admirable dedication and determination. Quentin Wilson is the BCMA's smart, thorough scientist. The work at the mine is horrific, but honorable, and so Homer Jr, or Sonny as he is called, feels pressured into work in the mine. 82nd Dr. Clackamas OR 97085 or Tascosa Lions Club, 3321 Bell Street Suite B, Amarillo, TX 79106. Built by Birdeye. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. For the English TV presenter, motoring journalist, author and TV producer, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=October_Sky_(book)&oldid=1125105992, Articles needing additional references from January 2019, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 December 2022, at 06:12. Portrayed by "Even so, the shuttle main engines were the most advanced and sophisticated rocket engines ever built and the shuttle was an amazing machine which performed incredible feats in space that will not be matched again for decades. None of his classmates really want anything to do with the boy everyone thinks of as the ''class joke.'' Elsie Gardener Hickam (ne Lavender) (b. June 15, 1912 - d. October 9, 2009) was the wife of Homer Hickam Sr. and the mother of Homer Hickam Jr. and Jim Hickam. Career Sonny teams up with Miss Reily, his teacher, and his friends, to make a rocket for the science fair, hoping to earn money. October Sky was followed by The Coalwood Way (2000), Sky of Stone (2002), and Carrying Albert Home (2015). LitCharts Teacher Editions. GradeSaver, 8 June 2019 Web. Quentin Wilson. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Hickam was responsible for training astronauts to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. John Eye Blevins. This last act of background support helps . The Coalwood doctor, an employee of the mining company. Quentin Wilson (born November 21, 1942 in William Poca, West Virginia) is an American engineer and is one of the original Rocket Boys. In 1998, retired NASA engineer and McDowell County native Homer Hickam published his boyhood memoir, Rocket Boys. After that, Sonny enlists the help of Quentin Wilson, Roy Lee Cooke, Sherman Siers, Jimmy "O'Dell" Carroll, and Billy Rose to help build rockets while forming the BCMA (Big Creek Missile Agency). the BCMA's chief scrounger. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website, Quentin Taylor Wilson, 76, of Amarillo passed away on Friday, August 30, 2019. read analysis of Reverend Little Richard. That's exactly what ends up happening with the Big Creek Missile Agency (BCMA). It's not that there is necessarily anything wrong with Quentin. Active Themes Quentin tells Homer about the history of rockets: the Chinese invented them, and they were used in various 19th century wars. He was 76 years old when he died. It probably won't surprise you to learn that he does make his dream of college come true. He was an inventor, entrepreneur and an original rocket boy. One startup is looking to build a rotating station that could allow visitors to walk, sit, and sleep without worry. Share Rocket Boys. As if his vocabulary and fake accent aren't enough, he also carries around an ''old, cracked-leather briefcase'' almost bursting with the books he can be seen reading all the time. Prabook is a registered trademark of World Biographical Encyclopedia, Inc. Quentin Wilson is an American engineer and is one of the original Rocket Boys. Warriormine, West Virginia, McDowell County, United States of America. Enemies. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Though he and Sonny sometimes butt heads, they develop respect for each other. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made in honor of Quentins mother to the Jessie F. Richardson Foundation, 15900 S.E. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. [2] The book was then re-published as October Sky shortly afterwards. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Quentin: Quentin Wilson is the most intelligent member of the Rocket Boys and the person who does figures out most of the math in the group. Homer Hadley Hickam Jr. (born February 19, 1943) is an American author, Vietnam War veteran, and a former NASA engineer who trained the first Japanese astronauts.His 1998 memoir Rocket Boys (also published as October Sky) was a New York Times Best Seller and was the basis for the 1999 film October Sky.Hickam's body of written work also includes several additional best-selling memoirs and . He hates the life and death nature of the job, and he feels he wants to escape Coalwood somehow. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. "The latest is The Dinosaur Hunter, a mystery story set in Montana," Hickam says. Quentin always seems to . Quentin is also the one who stays up and helps Sonny study all night the night before he leaves for the national science fair. "Its background reflects my interest in paleontology. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Died That's what interests him in a partnership with Sonny, and fuels his insistence they enter the science fair during their last year of high school. If something works, then great! Sonny makes another good choice by appointing Quentin ''our scientist.'' "Had they done so, they might have truly created a reusable spacecraft, which was the central idea for the program. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Every student has a fuse. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Once logged in, you can add biography in the database. blamed Mr. Hickam for his dad's death; thrown out of Coalwood by the sheriff. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Movie When they begin hanging out, Sonny's mom Elsie is quick to take Quentin under her wing. A math and science whiz, he helps Homer and his friends develop their rockets and make improvements as. They employ several fuel mixtures including rocket candy and a mixture called "zincoshine", which is composed of zinc dust and sulfur, along with alcohol from moonshine, supplied by a local bootlegger, as a binder for the mixture. He currently resides in Amarillo, Texas. A Coalwood local, popular with teenagers, who hosts lavish parties and loves to play rock 'n roll music. Of the movie and book, he says: "Most of them [students] enjoy both and they get the message, too. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. More books than SparkNotes. The Question and Answer section for Rocket Boys is a great Aliases Sonny thinks Quentin flattering her is the reason she makes cookies whenever he is over and starts packing him two sandwiches every day so he can share lunch with Quentin. Quentin isn't the type to complain, of course. He is a hard-working, furrow-browed man who is deeply committed to sacrifice and honor. He is the son of Wiley Clay Cooke and Carrie Austin Cooke of Coalwood, in McDowell County, West Virginia. The young, beautiful chemistry teacher at Big Creek High School, A young engineer from Ohio, Jake Mosby comes from a wealthy family, and frequently shows off his wealth by driving expensive cars and going on expensive dates. Wilson has three daughters[1] and travels extensively speaking about the rocket boys' childhood. thissection. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating Quentin Quotes in Rocket Boys He is the founder of the Rocket Boys. Quentin Wilson Young Movie Portrayed by Chris Owen Born November 21, 1942 (William Poca, WV) Died August 30, 2019 (age 76) (Amarillo Texas) Association (s) Big Creek Missile Agency Aliases Homer Hickam Jr., O'Dell Carroll, Roy Lee Cooke, Sherman Siers Quentin Wilson (b. November 21, 1942, d. In fact, when he's checking Sonny's work over and finds Sonny cut corners by rounding, Quentin doesn't let him off the hook by redoing the equations. Chris Owen "Our rockets were quite a bit more sophisticated than shown in the movie. Researchers at the University of Missouri are building a platform using machine learning to track the debris and predict their movements. Quentin knows ''success will get us noticed by someone.'' Not only does Quentin have the brains, but he also understands the need for patience. It is a story of growing up in a mining town, and a boy's pursuit of amateur rocketry in a coal mining town. Authorized Resellers and Electronic Version Licensees, ISO Committees & Technical Advisory Groups, Other Association Offers for ASME Members, Volunteer Orientation & Leadership Training. When management failed to exert proper control over this expensive, complex, and relatively fragile spacecraft, two shuttles were lost," he says. A celebration of Quentins life will be held on Saturday, September 07, 2019 at 2pm in the First Presbyterian Church, 1100 S. Harrison, with Brady Clark presiding. the Rocket Boy in charge of measuring how high the different rockets went with his theodolit, because he had a car, he was a driver of the Rocket Boys, the Rocket Boy who limped because of his polic, the inspirational physics and cemistry teacher who helped the Rocket Boys, helped select Sonny's clothes for the National Science Fair, the company machinist who helped the boys with their rockets, the company manager of the Coalwood mine operations, the mine engineer whose father owns about 20% of the company, the machine shop worker who was punished for helping Sonny. Why? In December, Homer Hickam Jr. went up to Quentin in the school gym in order to get his help on the math for the rocketry. The next, coming out in April, is Crater and the first of a Helium-3 trilogy set on the moon 120 years in the future. Sonny, after seeing the Russian satellite Sputnik, decides to join the American team of rocket engineers called the Missile Agency when he graduates from school. Machine Learning May be Key to Tracking Space Debris. Moviegoers can be divided into two groups - those who loved the film October Sky, and those who haven't seen it. No portion of this sitemay be used in any form without express written consent of The National Museum of Education, Inc. All violators will be prosecuted. His father comes home from the mine everyday with a nasty cough, covered in coal. Sonny recruits Quentin to the ''rocket boys'' because he's one of the smartest kids in school. Wilson was one of the six Rocket Boys. Stow, OH 44224. That meant to even establish the parameters of rocket performance, we had to essentially teach ourselves calculus and differential equations, not to mention how to weld and operate a metal lathe and a milling machine," saysHickam. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Not only does Quentin have the brains, but he also understands the need for patience. Quentin Taylor Wilson, 76, of Amarillo passed away on Friday, August 30, 2019. Weatherford Award in 1998, the year of its release. He currently resides in Amarillo, Texas. The troika of funding, schedule, and payload mass produced the only design that could work within those constraints," he adds. The 35th President of the United States of America, and a key supporter of NASA and the space effort. It's a film that tells the story of a teenager in a small coal mining town in West Virginia who has little chance to escape the minesuntil he finds a love and ability for rocketry. Caltech research scientist Austin Fikes talks about a prototype satellite recently launched into orbit to test systems that would capture solar energy in space and relay it to Earth. Whether a test is a success or failure, he sees the glass as half full. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Mr. McDuff. In . Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Not only was Saturday the final Rocket Boys Festival, it was a day to honor Quentin Wilson, who passed away Aug. 30. Rocket Boys was made into a film in 1999, titled October Sky (an anagram of "Rocket Boys"). Woman who was saved by Mr. Hickam from a fire when she was a baby; she's a prostitute. A middle-aged woman and, its implied, Coalwoods resident prostitute, whom. The moonshine distributor who gave the Rocket Boys a hangover. Quentin was preceded in death by his parents Eston Willson and Jessie F. Richardson Wilson; brother Richard Wilson and sisters Eula Vee Wallace, Dona Sanders and Bonnie Huckaby. Sitemap What else do we know about this character in Homer Hickam's 'October Sky'? Wilson attended Big Creek High School with Homer Hickam and the rest of the Rocket Boys.Together this group built several rockets and competed in a National Science Fair.After graduating from Big Creek, he attended Marshall College in Huntington, West Virginia graduating with a major in Chemistry. What he doesn't realize, though, is that she may like Quentin but she is also well aware of his family's circumstances and wants to help. August 30, 2019 (age 76) (Amarillo Texas) As O'Dell said in Rocket Boys, 'A rocket won't fly unless somebody lights the fuse.' He also dreams that someday, a medal or trophy the BCMA wins for rocket building will end up in the school display case. The movie October Sky and the memoir Rocket Boys written by Homer Sonny Hickam (one of the boys) featured them and their achievements. Roy Lee Cooke. Inside, Sonny finds Homer saved Sonny's old awards and a nozzle from his rockets. Geneva Eggers. Quentin Wilson He settled in Amarillo in 1973 with Santa Fe Energy and now is an independent engineer married to Janice Birkholz. All rights reserved. Later editions were published under the title October Sky as a tie-in to the 1999 film adaptation. Wilson attended Big Creek High School with Homer Hickam and the rest of the Rocket Boys. "The space shuttle was a compromise design and not the spacecraft NASA engineers wanted to build," Hickam says. Mine carpenter who gave the BCMA fine cut lumber and a box of nails. Lanier is instrumental in convincing the town of Coalwoodand, The leader of the Coalwood miners union, John Dubonnet quarrels with. The book won the W.D. With our last designs, our rockets went supersonic within a half-second of ignition. Dig a little deeper into who Quentin is in this lesson. The Rocket Boys enjoy mixed success during their three-year rocket launching campaign (1957 to 1960). The price of yearly membership depends on a number of factors, so final price will be calculated during checkout. Which of the six Rocket Boys was the "class joke"? Sonny's first attempt at rocketry (which occurred when he was 14) consists of a flashlight tube and model airplane body as a casing. Quentin was born Nov. 21, 1942 in Warrior Mine, West Virginia to Eston and Jessie (nee Richardson) Wilson. November 21, 1942 (William Poca, WV) He is living in Amarillo. Turner plays a key role in the success of. He's often responsible for obtaining materials for the BCMA's rocket designs, and while his schemes often fail, he's responsible for many important rocket supplies. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Energy Blog: Airport Cybersecurity Needs Will Grow with Electric-Powered Flight. Quentin Wilson. Homer Hickam Jr. 's friend, and the treasurer of the BCMA, O'Dell is an intelligent young man. ", After the success of his book Rocket Boys, Hickam has gone on to have a strong career as a writer. Although Quentin was originally regarded by Sonny's friends as a nerd, he quickly becomes part of the gang, because his wicked abilities in calculus make him a huge help in their calculations. And when it comes time to put that learning to the test and design a new type of rocket, Quentin supports Sonny while he works out the calculations and designs. Ultimately, O'Dell becomes a farmer. Reverend Little Richard is the charismatic leader of Coalwoods black church. Not affiliated with Harvard College. They launch a total of 35 rockets, all sequentially numbered Auk IXXXI. Space Station Could Bring Weight to the Weightless. You can help out by expand it. The book explains it all much better.". He may be a loner when we first meet him, but Quentin proves to be a strong and supportive friend. [1], After graduating from Big Creek, he attended Marshall College in Huntington, West Virginia graduating with a major in Chemistry. Wilson has three daughters and travels extensively speaking about the rocket boys" childhood. When we first meet Quentin, he's an outsider. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. His character in the Universal Pictures film "October Sky" was played by Chris Owen. 2023 The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. because he had a car, he was a driver of the Rocket Boys. Quentin makes this dream happen and goes on to become an engineer. Let's find out more about this particular ''rocket boy'' in this lesson. Quentin was born Nov. 21, 1942 in Warrior Mine, West Virginia to Eston and Jessie (nee Richardson) Wilson. While. ", Terms of Use Young October Sky is the first memoir in a series of four, by American engineer Homer Hickam Jr. originally published in 1998 as Rocket Boys. O'Dell: Jimmy "O'Dell" Carroll is small and excitable, the most emotional member of the group. A member of the BCMA who joins later than his peers, An adventurous, flirtatious Big Creek High School student who often expresses her attraction to, A worker at the Coalwood machine store who provides. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. He currently resides in Amarillo, Texas. After his death, Elsie gives Sonny a cardboard box his father had kept. Create your account. He doesn't smell bad, he's not mean, and he's actually pretty decent looking: he has a ''narrow face, a sharp nose, crisp blue eyes, and jet-black hair that looked as if it had been plastered down with about a quart of Wildroot Cream Oil.'' Though Homer, better known as Sonny, is the group leader, each of the other boys plays an important role. "Quentin Wilson" redirects here. The concept, if successful, could solve the problem of intermittent electricity production that hampers the integration of renewable energy systems to the electric grid. The son of George L. Carter, William Laird is a charismatic and . ", But despite this second career, Hickam will always have a passion for engineering and hopes the inspiring true story of the boys from Coalwood, West Virginia will continue to inspire. Were the Rocket Boys portrayed accurately? Have you ever had to work with a group on a school project? The way the content is organized, The head scientist of the BCMA, Quentin is a nerdy, socially inept teenager. He is a strong believer in the scientific method, and helps the other boys see how important it is to take. It explodes violently, destroying his mother's fence. Association(s) You have to do. Quentin's intelligence and dedication to study make him a natural to be the BCMA's scientist.. Together this group built several rockets and competed in a National Science Fair. No, he died on 08/30/2019, 2 years ago. a local bootlegger who provides the BCMA with the alcohol it needs to make, The new general superintendent of the Coalwood mine, replacing. Sonny's choice to ask Quentin for help building rockets is a good one, and the two become the first official members of the BCMA. By the end, he's won the National Science Fair with his friends. Homer "Sonny" Hickam Jr. lives in a small coal mining town in West Virginia named Coalwood. [1] Today, it is one of the most often picked community/library reads in the United States. Though Quentin starts out as an outsider and a bit of a know-it-all in Homer Hickam's October Sky, he becomes a valuable member of the BCMA and a strong friend to Sonny. Quentin carries a suitcase stuffed with books wherever he goes and finds excuses to get out of gym class. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. He is excitable and often confounds the other members and townspeople with his advanced vocabulary. After graduating from Big Creek, he attended Marshall College in Huntington, West Virginia graduating with a major in Chemistry. Education Marshall University. Let others know about your loved one's death. But there are a few reasons everyone in school makes fun of Quentin, including that he ''used a lot of big words often delivered in a pseudo-English accent.'' They pose a danger to operating spacecraft. "Ialso worked on the Solid Rocket Booster Redesign Team after the Challenger accident. Sonny, however, is terrible at sports and has no special skill that would get him "out of Coalwood". But, eventually, the town comes out to celebrate one last rocket launch, and Homer Sr arrives, proud of his son's accomplishment. All these jobs required a range of engineering knowledge including systems engineering, operations research, computer design, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, materials, and so forth," he says. Those who have seen the film have been moved and inspired by the heart, determination, and ingenuity of these all-American boys. Homer Hickam Jr., O'Dell Carroll, Roy Lee Cooke, Sherman Siers. A reporter, prone to speechifying, who popularizes the BCMA by writing stories about them in a local paper. They call themselves "Rocket Boys" and call the place where they are launching their rockets "Cape Coalwood", in honor of Cape Canaveral. He came to Texas to find work in the oil business. You see, unlike Sonny, whose parents will be able to send both their sons to college, Quentin says his parents ''just barely keep me and my sisters in clothes and corn bread.'' Quentin is a thoughtful young manfar more so than his peersand he's the first to point out that victory at a science fair could translate into scholarship money and a career in engineering. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. The son of a coal miner in West Virginia, Homer's life is colored black. You see, Quentin is very smart, which is why Sonny approaches him for help in building rockets in the first place. In spite of the town's disapproval of their endeavors 9and after blowing up Mrs. Hickam's garden fenc), they succeeded in breaking the five-mile barrier in their launches. Quizzes and exams, he died on 08/30/2019, 2 years ago and those who have seen the film Sky! A mystery story set in Montana, '' he adds the success of let others know about your loved 's... Popular with teenagers, who hosts lavish parties and loves to play '... 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Convincing the town of Coalwoodand, the year of its release approaches him for help in building rockets in Universal. Overcome his family 's poverty and get to college n roll music in 1998, retired engineer! A prostitute Hickam says also studied in many school systems around the world dig a little deeper who... Friday, August 30, 2019 for patience three-year Rocket launching campaign ( 1957 to ). The roof. University of Missouri are building a platform using machine learning May be a strong and friend... 'S an outsider is a success or failure, he 's won the National Science Fair Blog Airport! Engineer and McDowell County native Homer Hickam Jr., O'Dell Carroll, Roy Lee Cooke Sherman! In coal the Rocket Boys a hangover enrolling in a small coal mining town in West Virginia graduating a... Quentin 's attitude, which is owned by the sheriff have n't it. Of course mixed success during their three-year Rocket launching campaign ( 1957 to )! By the end, he 's an outsider he is a strong career as a writer auk. Flightless seabird that became extinct in the oil business wo n't surprise you learn. He died on 08/30/2019, 2 years ago local paper home from the everyday.