St. Croix Rocketry Association Members Take First Place In Multiple Divisions At Annual Rocketry Competition

Former members of the Elena Christian Junior High School Rocketry Club, who are now part of the newly formed St. Croix Rocketry Association (SCRA), won big in this year’s National Association of Rocketry’s NARAM 60 event, which was held August 4-10 in Pueblo Colorado.

With over 300 competitors participating in this year’s contest, the St. Croix Rocketry Association’s solid placing — which included several first and second place victories — was highly impressive.

Nine rocketeers and 5 chaperones from St. Croix attended NARAM 60. The St. Croix rocketeers participated in divisions A, B and C. Division A was for children of all ages up to 18; division B was for competitors from ages 18 to 22; and Division C was for rocketeers over 22.

In the Division A, Destinee Emmanuel won medals for second place and third place in streamer duration and parachute duration. Streamer duration is about building a light, low drag rocket that can boost very high and still carry a large enough streamer of the right material and design to descend slowly. Parachute duration combines the challenge of building a light rocket that can carry a large enough parachute to descend slowly, yet being able to deploy reliably, to achieve a good duration score.

Stephanie Bullock and Shineeka Stanley won the first place championship trophy in Division B. Miss Stanley also won first place in the streamer duration in Division B, while Miss Emmanuel won the second place trophy overall in Division A.

Steve Bullock and wife Subhasanie Bullock, competing in Division C, outclassed 40 other professional rocketeers to win the gold medal. Three rocketeers, Miss Emmanuel, Xandria Acevedo and Mr. Bullock also won three model rocket prizes at the awards ceremony.

“Initially, my group weren’t as prepared as we would have liked to be, but we all took on the challenge to adapt to the changes and look at the results,” said Stephanie Bullock. “As vice president of the SCRA, I am not only proud of my students and their ability to adapt but also their determination and exceptional skills. You guys worked as a team and never ceased to make us proud.”

“Teaming up with my wife, we outclassed more than 40 other professional rocketeers from across the United States to win the gold medal in the SuperRoc entry. Commendations to all,” Mr. Bullock said.

SCRA’s next event will be at the Team America Rocketry Challenge in May in Virginia, followed by the NARAM 61, which will be held in Indiana in August 2019.