A place for VHS students interested in aerospace engineering and rocketry

The Rocket Club takes place during lunch on Fridays in VHS math teacher Preston Biller’s room, 108. 

Members watch videos having to do with aerospace engineering and rocketry, and members are able to talk to people with similar interests as them.

Club founder Daniel Smiley ‘24 said, “On an average day in Rocket Club, we’ll talk for a few minutes about upcoming events, fundraisers and launches before jumping into our weekly roundup, where we watch videos of various launches, tests and occasionally explosions from around the solar system.”

Club member Mason Hawkins ‘24 said, “I joined Rocket Club because I was always interested in the subject of space travel as a whole and also because a lot of my good friends were planning on joining as well. I would definitely recommend Rocket Club since it’s filled with very friendly people and the topics we discuss are always very interesting.”

Hawkins said, “I feel pretty welcomed and respected while at Rocket Club since it’s a club made for pretty much everyone who happens to be interested in space travel.” 

Smiley said, “Our [last] big event [was] the Bottle Rocket Launch Competition, where participants [made] modifications to a two-liter bottle and [launched] it a hundred feet into the air, with the goal of lowering it safely to the ground. The stakes are high and the prize is some of my mom’s homemade sourdough bread.”

The first annual Bottle Rocket Launch event took place on Jan. 20 during lunch at the baseball field. There was a 10 dollar entry fee. 

Students interested in attending any future Rocket Club events can join the club to be notified and prepared for the events. The Rocket Club is open for students to join freely.

Smiley said, “Students should join Rocket Club if they’re interested in seeing a rocket launch in person, or if they want to learn more about aerospace engineering, rocket science and space in general. We’re the coolest nerds you’ve ever met. But you don’t have to be cool or a nerd to join, just interested in space and rockets.”