
Photo by Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
(Left to right) Bradley School Principal Mario Ciccarini, fifth grader Jackson Churchill, 10, Junior Achievement Education Manager Kristine Dovale and fifth grader Mylee Lynch, 9.
DERBY — Three .… two … one … BLAST OFF!
That’s exactly what the fifth graders at Bradley School were shouting Thursday (Oct. 6) as they launched model rockets into the bright blue sky.
Thanks to a partnership with Junior Achievement, the students had the opportunity to build and then launch the rockets outside the elementary school on David Humphreys Road. JA secured a $15,000 grant for Bradley School, with an emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning.
“JA reached out to us and said they were starting a STEM aeronautics program for kids,” said Bradley School Principal Mario Ciccarini. “We’re big into STEM here. Today the kids were able to learn about rockets, propulsion and flight. They built their own rockets, flew remote control helicopters and got to experience a flight simulator. This activity may even foster interest in a student or two who might be interested in something to do with flight, pilots and space. Who knows, the next Neil Armstrong could be among us in this group of fifth graders.”
Warm temps and a nearly cloudless blue sky provided the perfect backdrop and conditions for the students to launch their rockets behind the school. With assistance from volunteers Ron Faanes and Gary Klein, of the Fairfield League of Yankee Radio Controllers, or FLYRC, groups of three to four students took turns pressing the launch button, as their plastic rockets, made from kits JA provided, took off high into the air.
Mylee Lynch, 9, and Jackson Churchill, 10, were the first pair to do a practice launch and then an official launch. Their white rocket, sporting an American Flag decal, flew some 250 feet up into the air, leaving behind a trail of smoke before it landed just beyond the tall chain link fence encircling the school’s ballfield.
Jackson bolted onto the field to retrieve the rocket, with its blue and white checkered parachute that released and ran back to his cheering classmates with a huge smile on his face.
“It feels like we just made history,” Jackson said.
Mylee said when she first pressed the button on the launch pad during the practice flight, nothing happened, leaving her to fear she had a failure to launch on her hands.

Photo by Jean Falbo-Sosnovich
Evan Diaz, 10
“But as soon as I pressed the button again, I heard it beeping, and then the rocket just took off,” Mylee said.
Both Mylee and Jackson said the flight activities sparked their imagination and may one day want to pursue careers as a space scientist and Army jet pilot, respectively.
Evan Diaz, 10, said it took him and his group about 30 to 45 minutes to build their red and white rocket, and after a few tries, the rocket just didn’t want to launch.
“We named it the stubborn rocket,” Evan joked, adding he someday aspires to be a fighter jet pilot.
Kristine Dovale, JA education manager, enjoyed watching the students and was thrilled to bring the aeronautics program to Bradley.
“They’re really having a blast,” she said.