By John Earp

Rocketry Launch Event a Success

Last week, the Jal High School Rocketry Program hosted the SystemsGo Rocket Launch on Woolworth Trust land just north of town. Schools from across New Mexico and Texas participated in the two-day rocket launch event. The JHS Rocketry Team represented their school well, with all Panther Rocketry Teams having successful launches. Mr. Johnny Estrada, who teaches the Rocketry students with assistance from Mr. Nathan Richard, said the JHS team wasn’t out at the launch site the first day, “because we kind of got behind, kind of got mixed up in our electronic phase for both of the rockets, so we had to basically redo everything, and that’s why we were in out there, but we’ll be out there tomorrow.

The Rocketry Program is divided into three teams, with an advanced supersonic team and two beginner teams whose goal is to launch a one-pound rocket one mile in the air.

Teams that participated from around the region in this year’s SystemsGo Rocket Launch included teams from Jemez Valley, New Mexico, Lovington, New Mexico, Hagerman, New Mexico, and Van Horn, Texas

Estrada said the teams have been working very hard at their rocket launch goals.

JHS Rocketry Students this year include: Cadi Richard, Sadi Richard, Ayden Parker, Angel Contreras, Pablo Franco, Jessi Rowland, Avyran Romero, Aiden Frank, Emery Melancon, Braedyn Alamanza, Jose Bustillos, Myriam Juarez, Brandon Galindo, Elias Gonzales, and Dakota Ruth.