[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 11, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E953]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 HONORING THE FESTUS HIGH SCHOOL ROCKET CLUB ON THEIR FIRST PLACE WIN 
REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES IN THE INTERNATIONAL ROCKETRY CHALLENGE 
                            IN PARIS, FRANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BLAINE LUETKEMEYER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 11, 2017

  Mr. LUETKEMEYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a group of high 
school students from my district, the Festus High School Rocket Club on 
their first place win representing the United States in the 
International Rocketry Challenge in Paris.
   Members of the team include Grace Basler, Ed Bohnert, Cydney Breier, 
Ryan Brown, Christopher Carden, Ashton Croft, Joel Marler, Rylie 
Martin, Jacob Rozner, and the club president Timothy Ruesche. They are 
coached by Devin Lorenz, a former member of the Festus Rocket Club 
himself.
   In May of this year the Festus High School Rocketry Team 
participated in the annual Team America Rocketry Challenge's (TARC) 
Final fly-off in The Plains, Virginia. They were awarded first prize 
over 100 other teams from across the United States, which included a 
combined $20,000 in scholarships and a trip to Paris, France to compete 
in the International Rocketry Competition. At the International 
Rocketry Challenge, Festus High School, representing the United States, 
bested competing teams from France, Great Britain, and Japan to take 
first place.
   TARC is the aerospace and defense industry's flagship STEM program 
that is sponsored by the National Association of Rocketry, the 
Aerospace Industries Association, and numerous industry partners 
including Raytheon Company, Boeing Company and Thales USA. Raytheon 
Company has sponsored Team USA's attendance in the international 
competition for 12 years and running. In the age of technology, 
exposure to STEM education and opportunities is a national priority in 
order to ensure our workforce is equipped for the challenges of the 
21st century. TARC has provided more than 65,000 middle school and high 
school students an opportunity to be engaged in hands-on experience 
that allows them to develop skills to assist them in future careers in 
STEM and aerospace.
   I ask you to join me in recognizing the Festus High School Rocket 
Club for their extraordinary accomplishment on behalf of the United 
States.

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