Penn Manor High School’s Champion Rocket Team was honored on Tuesday, August 17 at 7 PM in the High School Cafeteria. The rocket team won both the National and International Rocketry Challenge this year. To honor this four-member team comprised of 2010 graduates Brendan Stoeckl, Jordan Franssen, Nate Bernhardt, Tyler Funk and their advisor, Brian Osmolinski, the district planned a community celebration. Also recognized was the Marticville Middle School rocket team who came in a close second to their older teammates at the national competition in May. Those team members, all rising freshmen, are Wyatt Shiffler, Tom Sowers, and Jesse Stoner.
The event included presentations to the rocket teams members by local officials – Millersville Mayor Dick Moriarity, PA State Representative Scott Boyd, PA State Representative Bryan Cutler, a representative from State Senator Lloyd Smucker’s office, and acknowledgments from Governor Rendell, U.S. Senator Specter, and U.S. Representative Pitts. Also present to honor the rocket team was Dr. Jake Bleacher of NASA, a 1996 graduate of Penn Manor. Attendees were treated to a short preview of the documentary “A Perfect Burn – The Story of Rocket Clubs” which includes the Penn Manor rocket team’s journey this year. The team’s actual rocket was on display.
