A news release in the mail:

National Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest Winners to Receive Awards at Astronaut Hall of Fame
Winners in the national Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest will be receiving their awards at the Astronaut Hall of Fame / Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The Celebration is to be held during the Space and Air Show, November 8th and 9th.
November, 2008

National winners have been determined in the year long Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest. Lusanda Pierre, Orlando, Florida; Harley Francis, Colorado Springs, Colorado; John Lee, Tallahassee, Florida; Alexandra Gordon, Palm Beach, Florida and Michelle Pieler, Bradenton, Florida took first place in their respective categories.

During the local phase of the competition, contestants were required to build and launch a solid-fuel powered rocket. Each of the contestants flew a model from Estes, recognized as the world leader in educational rocketry. To win the local event contestants had to have the closest average landing to a target after two launches in this challenging spot-landing event. The local winner’s information was forwarded to contest headquarters to be compared to all other entries during this year long competition. The contest promotes the Helping Kids Reach for the Stars Program – an educational outreach of the Christa McAuliffe / Challenger Education Center.


Michelle Pieler received her trophy from famed author Homer Hickam at the October Sky Festival and launched in Coalwood, West Virginia. The other winners chose to celebrate on Nov. 8th and 9th by receiving their trophies and launching their rockets at the prestigious Astronaut Hall of Fame. They will continue their celebration at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during the Space and Air Show. The winners will get a personal tour of the Hall of Fame, visit the Astronaut Memorial to receive a Space Shuttle Challenger commemorative coin signed by Christa McAuliffe’s mother, Grace Corrigan, get to ride the Shuttle Launch Experience, see the US Navy Blue Angels in action and more.

Tickets to the Astronaut Hall of Fame and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for winners and their families where provided by DNC Parks. Lodging and breakfast is compliments of the award winning Country Inns and Suites of Cocoa Beach. Without the generosity of these companies, this winners’ celebration would not be possible.

Lusanda Pierre is a 10 year old rocketeer. She competed at Rock Lake Elementary School in Orlando, Florida. The Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest was hosted there by Science Lab Teacher, John Giles.

Coaching by Team America Rocketry Challenge mentors, Dr. Warren Layfield and teacher Gil Burlew was the key to winning for Harley Francis, a rocketeer from the Colorado Springs Rocket Society and Michelle Pieler from Braden River High School. Both Layfield and Burlew have taken teams to the national TARC finals. Dr. Layfield considers the Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest to be a “perfect training ground for kids who will go on to more challenging competitions like TARC and NASA’s Student Launch Initiative.

John Lee competed at the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee, Florida. The competition there was hosted by Camp Director, Harry Hawbecker and Flight Director, Weldon Gray.

Alexandra Gordon competed with her class at the Palm Beach Day Academy. The event there was hosted by her teacher, Tom Sarko.

The contest presents a fantastic opportunity to young rocketeers. Contest directors Jack and Kathy Colpas boast that “national winners receive memories to last a lifetime and bragging rights for generations to come.” For more details about the 2009 Reach for the Stars Rocket Contest go to www.TheRocketman.net.