I had the distinct privilege of attending the Ignite Education pre-launch dinner at the Nimitz on Thursday to celebrate the Fredericksburg High School Principles of Technology Program (nicknamed the “Rocket Program”).  We were also there to celebrate the fact that 10 other partner high schools, representing 300 students from across the State, are here for the weekend to launch 18 rocket projects at the Meek Ranch just outside of town.  These are not model rocket kits bought at toy stores…they’re operational vehicles that are attempting altitudes of 11,000 feet and speeds of Mach 2!  NBC Nightly News is here to cover this weekend’s launch along with several other print and television news organizations.I was literally blown away to hear the results of this program, born right here at our public high school, that sends 80% of it’s students into some of the best engineering programs around the United States.  Current and former FHS students gave testimonies as to the projects they were working on with NASA, entering top-notch engineering schools and joining new aerospace companies like SpaceX…all of them attribute the genesis of their inspiration to the “Rocket Program” founded by Bret Williams at FHS.  Officials from NASA Shuttle Operations, former engineers on the Apollo program and new “rocket program” teachers from other partner high schools were all there to congratulate the Citizens of Fredericksburg on their fortune to have this program in their high school.It gave me pause to consider the fact that our Community will be voting on a tax cut that could impact and stall the momentum of excellence and national significance that this program represents.  We shouldn’t be cutting programs like this…we should be looking for more money to continue and accelerate them.  Let’s send a message on May 10^th that our Community believes in our Children and wants to do whatever is in our power to inspire them to achieve what they might never have imagined possible.

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