Ingraham High School Rocket Club to compete nationally

This weekend, students from Ingraham High School’s (IHS) Rocket Club will travel to Washington DC to compete in the National Finals of the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC). Teams Echo and Foxtrot qualified among the top 100 teams in April, beating scores from 678 other participating student teams from around the country, according to IHS. They are the only teams from Washington to make it to the finals.

On Team Echo is Aidan Farr, Maggie Hargus, Theo Arden, Diana Chan, Alexander Hoppe, Hodan Mohammed, and Kirsten Westmoreland. Team Foxtrot is Akira Murphy, Lara Grevstad, Sara Buck, Phillip Quinn, Maeve Axtell, Calvin Korver, Samuel Wolfson, and Henry Hilt.

The challenge was for middle and high school students to design and build a rocket that can climb to 800 feet and stay aloft for between 43 and 47 seconds, using a parachute for a recovery device. And, it gets even harder: the teams must also find a way to transport a payload of two raw eggs in the rocket and return them unbroken. The payoff includes $60,000 worth of prizes and scholarships and a chance to compete in the International Air Show in London, England.

From Team Echo: Theo Arden, Aidan Farr, Diana Chan (left to right)

Ingraham principal Martin Floe said, “The culture of the Ingraham Rocket Club is enthusiastic and inclusive; that’s a big part of its success. Kids can really be themselves.” Not only did the students create the rockets from scratch, they also reached out to elementary and middle schools, giving presentations and helping younger kids to form their own teams.

Team Echo: Diana Chan, Aidan Farr, Theo Arden (left to right)

TARC is the largest rocketry challenge in the world, and is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Rocketry. According to their website, about 7,000 students compete each year.

The students from Ingraham will compete on Saturday, May 12.

(Thanks to Wayne Buck for the photos!)