It was all part of Rocket Launch Day at New Ulm Area Catholic School. Students in grades 3-12 competed against classmates to see how far their rockets went. Some rockets traveled more than 100 yards. Younger students watched the contests.

Fourth-grader Sollie Larson was beside himself talking about a rocket made from a plastic two-liter soda bottle filled with two cups of water, cardboard fins, Playdough, a nose cone and tail, all attached with duct tape.

“I think it’s fun and exciting. I wish we could do this every week,” Larson said, smiling.

He and his classmates Rylan Schneider and Davis Lieser built a rocket that traveled the second-farthest in fourth grade competition. The rocket had the words “North Pole Inc.” and “The Penguins” written on its wings.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch St. Anthony Elementary School students from left, Rylan Schneider, Sollie Larson and Davis Lieser hold their student-designed bottle rocket launched at Washington Park Friday.

NUACS technology teacher Chelsey Mason said students designed their own rockets.

“It’s a big deal. The entire school is involved with this. Students compete in grades 3-8. Students in grades 9-12 have the option of competing after designing rockets,” said Mason.

Class contest winners were third-graders Ben South and Arty Dietz, fourth-graders Kyley Johnson and Audrey Hillesheim, fifth-graders Colton LeBrun, Ethan Weisbrich and Jackson Brandes, sixth-graders Mac Turvold and Will South, seventh-graders Charlie Dietz and Evelyn Mack, eighth-graders Chloe Gilles and Emilee Krueger.

For the third straight year, Owen Strei and Jaden Helget won the contest for grades 9-12.

Trophies and candy bars were awarded to class winners.

3M hosted the event. Employees that built the pneumatic rocket launcher were operations manager Jake Mason, maintenance planner Josh Abraham, maintenance supervisors Matt Kukson and Steve Seidl, machine specialist Tom Hoeft and maintenance planner Steve Abraham.