Rocketry Planet

TEMPLETON, California USA — A team of young rocket scientists from Templeton Middle School will compete in the Team America Rocketry Challenge finals Saturday and Sunday in Virginia.

The three-student team, comprised of Jon Van Harmelen, Joe Brown and James Greenway, is trying to raise $6,000 to pay for travel and equipment to get to the national competition.

The photo is of Jon van Harmelen Endeavour Program 8th Grade Templeton Middle School Recovering a qualifying rocket after a successful test launch at Cental California Tripoli Launch site Maddox Dairy near Riverdale, Calif. on April 18, 2009.

The photo is of Jon van Harmelen Endeavour Program 8th Grade Templeton Middle School Recovering a qualifying rocket after a successful test launch at Cental California Tripoli Launch site Maddox Dairy near Riverdale, Calif. on April 18, 2009.

They will showcase their model rocket — which was designed on rocket simulation software, not built from a kit — against 100 other teams nationwide, teacher Jill Southern said.

The students are enrolled in courses offered through the Endeavour Academy, which focuses on practical applications of science and engineering. These include projects such as building and launching model rockets and using meteorological balloons to gather data.

The goal in the national competition is to reach 750 feet in the air for 45 seconds and keep a horizontally positioned egg intact, Southern said.

The placement of the egg is designed to mimic the position of an astronaut, according to the competition’s Web site, www.rocketcontest.org.

In the competition to qualify for nationals, the North County team kept its rocket at 758 feet for 46 seconds, Southern said.

In 2007, the year the school began its Endeavor program, another Templeton Middle School student team made it to nationals after finishing in 67th place out of 100 teams. The students also won an award for “most creative use of unconventional materials,” Southern said.

Donate to the team

To help send the Templeton Middle School student team to nationals, send checks to Templeton Middle teacher Jill Southern at 925 Old County Road, Templeton, CA 93465. For questions, e-mail This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  or call 434-5813.

Copyright © 2009, The Tribune.