Photo courtesy of the Copley High School Rocket Team
COPLEY — The new Copley High School Rocket Team, shown above with Drew Floyd, Libby Blanchard, Samantha McMannes, Ayden Stuckey and Tanner Kimmins, and engineering and woodworking teacher Kirby Harder serving as adviser, has been performing test flights in preparation for the 21st annual American Rocketry Challenge, sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association, the National Association of Rocketry and more than 20 aerospace industry partners.
Participating teams design, build and launch a model rocket that carries a raw egg to 850 feet, stays airborne for 42-45 seconds and then safely returns to the ground with the egg intact. Nationally, teams will compete for a share of the $100,000 prize package and other awards May 20 in Virginia. The first place team will win an all expenses paid trip to this summer’s Paris Air Show in France to compete against teams from other countries. The Copley team will host a community day March 26 at 11 a.m. at the school’s upper fields, 3807 Ridgewood Road, and launch their rocket to qualify for the national competition. Visitors can purchase T-shirts, make donations and buy 50/50 raffle tickets to guess how high the rocket will go. To sponsor the team, email Harder at kirby.harder@copley-fairlawn.org.