The Carroll Rockets I and II teams made program history when they completed 15 successful launches in Fredericksburg last month.
Led by rocket teacher Rachel Mahlow, the Rockets I and II teams learn how to engineer their own rockets and launch them at the end of the school year.
“The kids work all semester long,” Rachel says. "They learn how to build a rocket, how to make it stable. Every single one of those rocket groups built, designed and launched a rocket in their budget.”
Rachel says the Rockets I team is instructed to deliver a one-pound payload a mile high, while the Rocket II team’s rocket is supposed to break the sound barrier at Mach 1. At one point, Rachel didn’t know if all of these rockets were going to get launched.
“The whole purpose of my job is to teach them the skills and let them go, struggle, fail, do better, figure it out and be successful by the end of the year,” Rachel says. "It’s really difficult for me in many aspects because I try not to interfere with their project. You have to realize it’s their rocket and their project. I only give them the skills to build it, but I want the rocket to be theirs.”
But by the end of the semester, all of the groups had successful launches and got to celebrate their wins together. Rachel says she’s proud that her students got to take ownership of their hard work.
“When they get to the launch site, they know every single thing about that rocket. They built it, they designed it, they created it and it’s theirs,” she says. “I think that’s what makes it even more special.”