HR0473 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0473 LRB099 12154 MST 34939 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Grace Christian Academy (GCA) of Kankakee as they travel to Washington, D.C. to compete in the national finals of the 13th annual Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) on May 9, 2015; and

WHEREAS, The GCA Rocket Team will compete against 99 other qualifying teams, out of 700 from across the United States; and

WHEREAS, TARC is the United States aerospace and defense industry's flagship program designed to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); the competition challenges middle and high school age students to design, build, and fly a rocket to meet specific altitude and flight duration parameters; this year's rules require a rocket carrying a raw egg to reach 800 feet and return it to Earth uncracked within 46 to 48 seconds; and

WHEREAS, GCA's Rocket Club is a 100% student led team, in conjunction with Grace Christian Academy's Science Department, which designs and launches rockets; students use a professional design software called Solid Works to engineer rockets and simulate the field readiness before any build session; students are constantly acquiring STEM related experience as they overcome many of the design challenges; and

WHEREAS, GCA's Rocket Team will be competing for more than $60,000 in prizes and scholarships and the opportunity to represent the United States at the International Rocketry Challenge taking place at the Paris International Air Show in June of 2015; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Grace Christian Academy as they compete in the 13th annual Team Rocketry Challenge finals on May 9, 2015; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to GCA as an expression of our esteem and respect.