Regional Bottle Rocket Challenge May 22

Plans for the annual Regional Bottle Rocket Challenge, hosted by Freedom Bank, Fairmont State GEAR UP, RESA VII, Mid Atlantic Aerospace Complex and the Greater Clarksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau are under way.

This year's event, planned for 10 a.m. Thursday, May 22, will be held at Hite Field in Clarksburg. Nineteen winning teams selected from competitions at middle schools throughout the state will be judged on the length of time their rocket stays in the air. Judging will be done by volunteers from the NASA IV & V Facility.

The event gives students the opportunity to learn about aerospace education and is intended to spark an early interest in math and science so that students will consider these areas when choosing a career.

All of the teams and the public will have an opportunity to meet with four of the original Rocket Boys whose lives were highlighted in the movie, "October Sky," and to participate in activities with crew members from the Challenger Learning Center.

For more information about the Regional Bottle Rocket Challenge, call the Fairmont State GEAR UP office at (304) 367-0436.