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350+ kids have built their own high-power rockets through the free bootcamp I created in Indiana, 336 rockets since August 2025 (Indianapolis Star profile)

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 07/11/2026, 19:47:25 UTC.

Briefings

A free bootcamp in Indiana launched 336 high-power rockets since August 2025, with 350+ kids participating in a September 2025 event at Lilly's Global Day of Service. The event cost $75,000 but provided $500 value per child, with every rocket retained as a family heirloom. The author, Tanaka Chonyera, trained 25 adult volunteers and secured an FAA waiver with support from Lilly, MEPI, and Indiana Rocketry.

Key points

• The Indianapolis Star published a two-page profile and video on the free bootcamp on October 29, 2026, highlighting 336 rockets built since August 2025.
• On September 24-25, 2025, 150 third and fourth graders (ages 9-11) successfully launched 8 rockets simultaneously at Sheridan Airport, achieving a 2,000-foot flight height.

Context

The event occurred at Lilly's Global Day of Service in Indiana, utilizing fiberglass kits with real rocket propellant. The launch was supported by Lilly, MEPI, Indiana Rocketry, and Sheridan Airport, with the author applying OSHA's hierarchy of controls and capital projects construction management principles.

Limitations

The evidence is limited to a single event in September 2025; total rocket count of 336 is a cumulative total since August 2025, not a single event. The specific number of rockets launched per event is not explicitly stated, only the total cumulative count. The author's personal experience and specific training methods are described but not quantified beyond the number of training sessions.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 07/11/2026, 19:49:03 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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