All middle schools and high schools in West Virginia are invited to participate in the Bottle Rocket Challenge to take place in Clarksburg, WV on May 26, 2011. The event is being sponsored by The Prodigy Foundation, Freedom Bank, RESA 7, the MAAC (Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex), and Fairmont State GEAR UP and it is after the WESTEST 2. Each school that wants to take part must select one team consisting of no more than five 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and/or 12th grade students and one teacher. The school may conduct their rocket launch whenever it may be convenient to select participating team.
The winning team from each school is invited to participate on May 26, 2011 in the Prodigy Foundation Bottle Rocket Challenge at Hite Field in Clarksburg, WV at 10:00 am. If a school cannot reach Hite Field by 10:00 am, it will not matter. The first team there will begin the launch and we will assign numbers to the teams as they arrive. Each team will be provided with a launcher and water to propel the rockets. Also, lunch will be provided. Each student will also be given a tee shirt and the Rocket Boys book for participating, and will have an opportunity to have the book autographed by 4 of the original “Rocket Boys”.
The top three teams will be given individual prizes along with cash prizes totaling $1000 from Freedom Bank for their teacher to use to improve their classroom. This event will be in conjunction with the WV Teacher Achievement Award from the Prodigy Foundation which will be given to a WV teacher in honor of the Rocket Boys mentor and teacher, Freida J. Riley.
In addition to the launch the students will be judged on a presentation (5 minutes maximum) summarizing their design, scientific/engineering principles utilized, trial test flights, design insufficiencies (if there were any), and how they were overcome. Students will be required to give this presentation after their test launch, and each team member must participate in giving the presentation. A separate prize will be given to the team with the best presentation.