Treasure Valley Teams Advance to the Finals

Do you know what it takes to build a rocket? Idaho has some smart kids, and their creativity is paying off. After a regional rocket competition, two Treasure Valley teams are moving on to the national finals next month in Washington DC., and they're the only teams in Idaho to make it.

Our Idaho students are joining others in 46 states to be part of this growing rocket competition, where students craft some pretty exceptional and well-engineered rockets. These ain't toys. Students in 28 of those states are headed to the national finals, including two teams from Eagle.

The Team America Rocketry Challenge is the aerospace and defense industry’s flagship program that they hope encourages students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Middle and high school students have to design, build, and fly rockets that meet some tough altitude and flight duration standards. This year the rockets had to carry two raw eggs to reach 800 feet, and they had to deliver those eggs on the rocket back to Earth uncracked, all within 41 to 43 seconds. Wow! The crafted these rockets while the rest of us were probably sitting on the couch binge-watching shows on Netflix. Smart, smart, smart. And ambitious, with great teamwork apparently.

Idaho Teams Headed to the National Finals:

Galileo STEM Academy (7th) Eagle ID
Galileo STEM Academy (8th) Eagle ID

Nice work you guys! Alex at the Aerospace Industries Association told me that we can follow your progress and support you on the road to National Finals using the official hashtag: #TARC2018.

The National Finals are happening May 12th at Great Meadow in The Plains, VA, outside of Washington, D.C.

Good luck to these teams. We know they'll represent the Treasure Valley well!