3...2...1... Blast Off!

Mariana Ortega

“5,4,3,2,1.Fire!,” the Rocketry members were roaring as the rocket shot up into the air leaving a smoke trail across the sky. When the rocket reached its maximum height, it released its parachute landing the rocket softly on the grass.

The Rocketry club was started by the first engineering teacher, Mr. Polizzi at Samueli Academy. It started off as club just shooting up small rockets but after a year Mr. Polizzi entered the Rocketry club into a competition TARC(Team America Rocketry Challange). TARC is a competition in which they build an actual rocket that has to fly up to 800ft with an egg, land without the egg breaking and meet the requirements. This is the competition where they show off their work they have done. Last year the The Rocketry club didn’t qualify because the egg broke. “We went to test and fly. Our testing flights were perfect,spot on. But when went to go qualify, they were really bad. They cracked each time,”said the President of Rocketry, Alexis Ortega. They are still striving to qualify this year.
TARC-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcmMjWi04F4 

The Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is the world’s largest student rocket contest where 7th through 12th grade teams enter a rocket that meet the requirements.-\ The closest team to the meet the requirements wins. Many schools from across the nation compete for 1st place and the prize money. In thhe previous year the winning team took home $20,000 and the runner-up took $15,000.
Schedule
9-01-15 Registration Opens
12-04-15 Registrations Close  
4-04-16 Qualifying Scores Due
4-08-16 Top 100 Teams Announced
5-13-16 Rockets on Hill Reception in Washington D.C
5-14-16 TARC Final Fly Off At Great Meadow in the Plains,VA

​American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Conferences (AIAA) is where people from aerospace and that subject and go  learn or present about rocket or airplanes from rocket engines to how to create better wings. The Rocketry goes and does a small presentation about their club and what they do and from there they meet Mr.Janisch and Mr.Bushey.  Nonetheless, you should enter Rocketry if you're interested.They’re many reasons why you should enter, one of them is, it looks good to colleges. One important reason is the Rocketry Club needs more diversity and more freshmen and sophomores. Currently there are four male juniors, one male sophomore, and one female freshmen student.They  encourage people to come because after the juniors graduate and leave the club, the club might die off. “I will really like others to enter. Join us,” said the Alexis Ortega, Rocketry president.  Since there not many students entering, Rocketry might not be a club anymore. And then the following generation might not get to enjoy it. “It’s fun. You get build rockets and then test them out in the air,” said a member of Rocketry, Celeste Duran. If you are undecided and want to be in Rocketry, go to one of the meetings. If you don’t like the club then you can leave club but if you like the club just simply stay.