Eight middle schoolers from Phoenix, AZ traveled to Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia for the 2025 Team America Rocketry Challenge national finals — and came home with a 3rd place trophy.
The team, mentored by Wheelhouse coach Maria Ruiz, spent 14 months designing and testing their rocket. Their final flight hit an altitude of 855 feet with an egg payload that survived landing perfectly intact.
"I never thought I'd be building real rockets in sixth grade," said team member Jaylen Torres. "This whole experience changed how I think about what's possible."
The Wheelhouse Foundation DFW covered all travel, registration, and equipment costs so every team member could participate fully.