Kids Celebrate Winning the Reach for the Stars ~ National Rocket Competition | WPN World People News

Contestants in the fifth annual Reach for the Stars ~ National Rocket Competition had to build and launch their own solid-fuel powered rocket. The competitions were held in their area by schools, scouts, youth groups and Challenger Learning Centers. The closest average landing by parachute to a target after two launches wins. Local winner’s results were submitted to the national competition.

October Sky Festival National Winners Celebration

In response to the nations call for more interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) activities – kids across the nation participated in a rocket competition. At the end of the competition those who had the “Right Stuff”* were victorious. The annual Competition runs continuously and is open to ages ten to adult.

Of the six national winners there were three Girl Scouts; Nicole Frese, Mari Hernandez and Jo’nae McCullough and one Boy Scout, Collin Warner. Also scoring top honors were students; Marc Kolling and Mackie Tygart who competed with their classes at school. In a Competition that fosters the memory of the First Teacher in Space, Christa McAuliffe, it is fitting that Girl Scouts would win. Christa is considered to be a life long Girl Scout. All national winners get a Space Shuttle Challenger Commemorative Coin with insert signed by Christa’s mother, Grace Corrigan.

Three of the winners, Marc Kolling, Jo’nae McCullough, Mari Hernandez received trophies and launched their rockets at the US Astronaut Hall of Fame. They continued their celebration with their families by visiting the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. There they receive their Challenger Commemorative Coins from Astronaut Jon McBride who was the pilot of the Challenger STS-41-G in 1984. They even received the thrill of riding the Shuttle Launch Experience with Astronaut McBride.

The other national winners of the Reach for the Stars ~ National Rocket Competition (Collin Warner, Nicole Frese) celebrated with their families at the October Sky Festival in Coalwood, West Virginia. They received their trophies from famed author Homer Hickam and launched their rockets near the Challenger Memorial with the original “Rocket Boys” giving the countdown. Also, honored for their involvement in Helping Kids Reach for the Stars and celebrating with a launch were Lori Bradner and George Bartuska; teachers with the Central Florida Aerospace Academy. Launching their rockets from a historic location is an important part of the celebration for the national winners. Competition director, Jack Colpas says this gives them, “memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.”

Marc Kolling competed at Laurel Elementary School, in Poinciana, Florida under teacher, Michael Bastedo and Assistant Principal, Shannon Young.
Jo’nae McCullough joined in with the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia at a STEM Summer Camp under Program Director, Cheryl Hecker.
Mari Hernandez launched with Membership Development Specialist, Patricia Hemenway of the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida. This is the second national win for Ms Hemenway and her Girl Scouts.
Nicole Frese won the honors with the Girl Scouts of Connecticut under Program Initiatives Coordinator, Ellyn Savard.
Collin Warner launched with his Boy Scout Troop in North Carolina under Scout Leader, Chad Warner.

Mackie Tygart who launched with her class at Berrien High School in Nashville, Georgia under teacher Mark DiBois will receive her trophy at a ceremony at school. Mr. DiBois is a National Association of Rocketry senior member and was honored last year for his work in the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars program.

The Coalwood Restoration Association, author Homer Hickam, the original Rocket Boys; Jimmy “O’Dell” Carroll, Roy Lee Cooke and Billy Rose as well as Astronaut Jon McBride and the staff at the US Astronaut Hall of Fame all played a big part in making the national winners’ celebration a really special event.

Delaware North Corporation - Parks & Resorts at KSC, Inc. and the Hampton Inn - Cocoa Beach joined together to provide unforgettable memories for the winners of the annual Reach for the Stars ~ National Rocket Competition. Tickets to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex plus two nights lodging and breakfast are being provided for three winners and their families. Without the generosity of these companies, this winners’ celebration would not be possible.

Jack and Kathy Colpas, co-directors of the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars model rocketry program and the Reach for the Stars ~ National Rocket Competition are retired public school educators. The goal of the program is to give kids the unique educational experience of building and launching a solid-fuel powered rocket. The mission is to keep alive the memory of the first Teacher-in-Space, Christa McAuliffe. The program is designated as an Educational Outreach of the Christa McAuliffe Challenger Learning Center.

* Thomas Wolfe, The Right Stuff – (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) 1979

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Reach for the Stars ~ National Rocket Competition

The goal of our Competition is to give kids the unique educational experience of building and lunching their own solid-fuel powered rocket.
Our mission is to keep alive the memory of the first Teacher-in-Space, Christa McAuliffe.

Helping Kids Reach for the Stars is a Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Center - Educational Outreach Program and is recognized by: *Astronaut Bill Readdy, Chairman of the Board / Challenger Centers *Astronaut Alan Bean, Moonwalker & Artist, Florida Space Grant Consortium (FSGC), Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Astronaut Hall of Fame, Florida Association of Science Teachers (FAST), Kennedy Space Center - Educator Resource Center, National Girls Collaborative Project, South Eastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME), Florida League of Middle Schools (FLMS), Florida Engineering Education Conference (FEEC), Southwest Florida Girl Scout Council, Tampa Tripoli Rocket Association