June 2022
BRAGG MIDDLE SCHOOL - HOME OF THE ROCKETS!
Science teacher Tim Vaughn started Bragg Middle School's ROCKET DAY in May of 2007, when his science students built their
own Estes Alpha rockets in class, then launched them on the school's baseball field with the assistance of the Birmingham
Rocket Boys, NAR 665. BRB provided the launch equipment on the field and mentors in the classroom to show the students how
to prep their rockets. In 2008 Mr. Vaughn took a position at another school but Mrs. Zay Allen has continued the tradition
to this day.
Bragg Middle is located in Gardendale, Alabama and is the feeder school for Gardendale High School; home of the Gardendale
ROCKETS! Yes, their mascot is a Nike Rocket and there are several decommissioned Nikes on the high school campus.
With the exception of 2020 and 2021 (Covid) this year marks the thirteenth time BRB has helped Mrs. Allen and her students
finish the school year with a fun day of launching 300+ rockets in a single school day; actually, just under 6 hours! The
total is now very close to 4,000 launches!
The relationship between BRB and Bragg Middle is not a one way street, far from it. From 2008-2010 the National Association
of Rocketry (NAR) held an annual competition called: First Flyers. The competition was between more than 100 NAR Sections
(Clubs) scattered across the U.S.. The objective was to see which Section could assist the most students in 1 year with building
and flying their own rockets.
By size, compared to most NAR Sections of the time, BRB was tiny (25-30 members) but for the duration of the 3 year competition,
BRB led and won the National Award for First Flyers every year and Bragg Middle was the centerpiece of our efforts. Club Founder
and current president Ron Witherspoon, has the plaques on his wall to prove it.
The competition was always close nationally, with BRB averaging more than 1,200 per year but Mrs. Allen and her 300+ students
always made the difference. They put BRB over the top every time!
On May 17, 2022 we again celebrated the close relationship between the Birmingham Rocket Boys, Bragg Middle School, Mrs. Allen,
and her students.
While you enjoy the photos on Verna's Photos Of The Month and Fire & Smoke, it will become obvious that some of these
students are also artists. It's always a joy to see how some of the students decorate their rockets.
Verna & I are very proud that over many years we have had a small part in helping BRB assist Mrs. Allen with Rocket
Day and we hope those who can will consider fostering a similar event wherever possible.
Randy
Looking for something entertaining and fun to read?
If you'd like something entertaining and fun to read, get your copies of the entire Rocket Babe series, paperback or Kindle.
Here's how...
Get The Entire Series On Kindle!
Just click the Amazon links
below:
Rocket Babe: Reflection
Prefer Paperback? No Problem!
Signed / personalized paperback copies of Rocket Babe - Dust Storm, Rocket Babe - Fallen Angel, Rocket Babe - Ant Men and
Rocket Babe - Reflection are all available directly from the author!
Books are great gifts for any occasion! Holidays,
birthdays or just because!
Dust Storm $10.00
Fallen Angel $12.00
Ant Men $13.00
Reflection $13.00
Standard
book rate shipping: $4 for 1st book; $1 for each additional book per address in the same order. Please allow 7-10 days for
shipping, longer during the holidays.
*Special "Set" pricing! Get all 4 books for $46.00 includes shipping within the continental U.S.! Saves over $10
off the regular price and shipping!
*Shipping outside the USA available. Contact us for a postage quote before placing your order.
HOW TO ORDER:
Send your email order to Verna at: vernarockets@hotmail.com with BOOK as the subject.
List each dedication separately and clearly. Be sure to include the full shipping address.
Verna will reply with how to send in your money order. Sorry, money orders only.
If you have any questions PLEASE email us: vernarockets@hotmail.com
Above, you see a rare photo of Dave Miller, appropriately
dressed in black as owner of the clandestine black ops organization known as Sirius Rocketry! What does he do in his spare
time? He reads Rocket Babe, what else?
That's a nice looking Cestris Fighter he's holding too! Get yours from https://www.siriusrocketry.com
Verna Starr Cestris Fighter!
This is our favorite Sirius kit, the Cestris.
The kit is intended to fly on a single engine but it was easily modified to a 3 engine cluster complete with Verna Starr fighter
decals, also available from Sirius.
Randy
Just click the BLUE link below the banner!
She'll go with you anywhere! Kevin, owner and moderator at the Alien Soup sci-fi
forum, enjoys Rocket Babe - Dust Storm between innings at a recent ballgame!
The Price Of Gas
Photo from Kevin Haworth
With the price of gas now listed as, ridiculous per gallon, it might be time to consider another mode of transportation.
A friend just purchased a new 10 speed bike to ride to work, a neighbor is using his pony to make short trips to the post
office and Dollar General and I've been thinking about a Honda Gold Wing or Can Am Spyder as a high mileage alternative.
Knowing Verna loves the BSG Viper and has built and flown many, our friend Kevin Haworth, sent us the photo of the BSG
Viper car you see above, and I will tell you that if Verna had such a car she would definitely drive it. Where we'd get the
solieum to power it I'm not sure, but she would find an alternative fuel if need be.
So, if you see a Viper coming down the road one day soon, you'll know who's behind the wheel.
BEEP! BEEP!
Randy
Bones says...
Verna & Randy's Rockets is proud to have been featured by:
April 2006 Finishing
Touches
And Virally In Ezines Like:
