THE NATIONAL COMEBACK
What pulled him back wasn ' t some desire to win; it was smaller and more honest. Building rockets was fun, and the people around him were chasing something far greater than the competition. So he came back … not transformed, not suddenly confident, just willing to try one more season.
That year, everything clicked. At a qualifying launch, Evan felt in control; he did a weight calculation and added ten grams of foam to fine-tune the rocket ' s weight— something unusually technical for a kid who once felt clueless— and held his breath as it launched. It came down with a score of around eight. They were headed to nationals!
NATIONALS
At nationals, an entire year of work came down to a number hidden inside the rocket. Evan watched as his teammate Caden opened it.
For a second, nobody knew... Then Caden’ s arms shot into the air.
“ 16 points!”
Evan, the same student whose first rocket exploded on the launch pad, the same student who had thought about quitting, was now sitting at the national awards ceremony.
Then the announcer said it:“ Olympia High School, 18th in the country.” The table erupted.
24 | LET’ S GO AEROSPACE
Eighteenth in the nation, from a team of students who, not long before, could barely get a rocket off the ground.
START SMALL, OR START YOUR OWN
Ask Evan what really changed, and he does not just talk about scores. Before rocketry, he felt average and unsure about his future. Rockets helped him understand his passion for aerospace. They gave him a goal he is now chasing into college and beyond.
The truth is, it doesn’ t matter if you are clueless in the beginning. The most important thing is that you don’ t abandon your burning dream. Evan chose to come back despite a horrible year, and look how well that went for him.
So don’ t be afraid to join your school’ s aerospace club, and if they don ' t have one, then start one! Build a paper rocket. Test a glider. Ask a teacher for help. Find friends who want to build. Start with ANYTHING, and move your way up.
And as you become a rocketeer, lend a helping hand to others. A core part of Olympia Aerospace is outreach by bringing rockets and fun activities to younger students at elementary schools. You never know whose life might change because you took the time to share your passion for aerospace and rocketry.
So learn from failure. Use it as a stepping stone. Don ' t lose sleep over the past but don’ t forget the mistakes. Don ' t let failure define your maximum. Become a Rocketeer!