FELCH -- It was an otherwise still, quiet day in Felch.  But in an open field, rocketeers from Kingsford High School broke that silence, launching their rockets anywhere from 1000 to 4000 feet.

"It's really exciting,” said participant Jonie Panick.  “I mean you see it go up; you're launching a rocket."

Although the launch seems like fun and games, there are important safety precautions everyone learns before participating.

"We have to stay so far back, we’re careful with what we're doing,” Panick said.  “Make sure all of the equipment is turned off before we actually light the rocket...it's just basic safety."

And engineering these rockets is no easy task.  Many factors need to be weighed before the rockets are ready to launch.

“How to build it strong enough, how to make sure things stay together, how to use computers to make predictions, to make sure things are stable,” said Kingsford High School Science teacher, Bill Bertoldi.  "How would you modify a rocket to have it stable so it will fly successfully.”

A successful flight in this exercise is characterized by a smooth launch, deployment of the parachute with enough time to create a smooth landing, and the ability to locate the rocket after it has returned to the ground.

TV6 was a part of the action with our very own Predictor 6 rocket on the launch pad.

Both the students and I were amazed at every launch.  But for Bill, it's seeing the kids choose science after this program that is most exciting.

"When you see them leave and graduate and all the sudden we're taking a look at; kids going into science, math, and going into engineering,” Bertoldi said.  “For myself as a science teacher, that's absolutely wonderful."

And Bill says many of his rocketeers do.