Cedar Creek students invited to American Rocketry nationals, to represent New Jersey on Capitol Hill

Four seniors from Cedar Creek High School will travel to Washington, D.C., after placing in the top 100 in the American Rocketry Challenge and receiving an invitation to the national finals, a district presenter told the board.

"We finished in the top 100 in the country and are invited to the nationals on May 16th down in Washington, D.C.," said Mr. Parker, who introduced the students and thanked the district for supporting their travel. The students also were asked to represent New Jersey at the Rockets on the Hill event on Capitol Hill.

Team members described months of design, testing and data analysis. "We've learned a lot about the process — everything from nose-cone and fin shapes to what they're built out of," said senior Jacob Days, who said he plans to study aeronautical engineering. The students said they use Fusion 360 for CAD and manufacture some components in-house with 3D printing, supplementing online forums and published aerospace resources for design guidance.

The team runs flights with dual altimeters to collect telemetry and tests for environmental factors such as wind and temperature. Competition rules the students cited include a target altitude of 750 feet, a required descent window of about 36 to 39 seconds and carrying an unbroken egg as a payload. The students said one of their test flights hit the 750-foot mark and that they consistently met the descent-time constraint.

"We're looking for a really big performance when we get down there," one student said, noting that some of their scores would have been competitive at the national level. The students also noted a planned meeting with Lockheed representatives at the DC events and said they hope the trip will expose them to STEM career pathways.

The board acknowledged the students' achievements and wished them luck at nationals.