“3, 2, 1!” science club adviser Mary Lestina counts down. On the final number, a rocket shoots into the sky. When it lands, students rush over to check the results. They find that the rocket only travelled to 110 feet in the air. For competition, it has to get to 800, carrying two raw eggs and returning them to the ground unharmed.

Each year, the City science club completes in the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC), last year winning 1st in the state and hosting the first Iowa launch. However, they did not qualify for the national competition.

“We are hoping to qualify this year,” Lestina said.

Rocketry isn’t the only thing that members of the club participate in. Other activities include guest speakers, field trips, student interest projects, and other competitions such as Quiz Bowl and the Envirothon, in which students participate in a variety of challenges related to ecology and the environment. Last year, City students placed 1st in the regional Envirothon and 7th in the state.

The activities that the club does are mainly selected by students, and students are able to do any kind of science that they are interested in.

“This is a student-driven club, the type of science [we do] depends on the year,” said Lestina. “[Students] are able to explore what they are interested in learning more about.”

Science club meets Wednesday’s after school until 4:15 in room 1414.