The Haughton High School Rocketry team made people stand up and take notice at the American Rocketry Challenge National Finals held outside of Washington D.C.   

It was the team’s first time to compete in the challenge after making it as one of the top 100 national finalists, and had they not had a mishap with their rocket during the first launch and been disqualified on a technicality, Haughton would have placed sixth in the United States.  

“We will be ready to return even more motivated in 2024,” said JROTC Instructor Colonel (Ret) Tony Zucco.  

“Although they were understandably upset, they demonstrated their good sportsmanship and watched the remaining competitors,” added Richard Scott, Deputy Director of STARBASE Louisiana, which sponsored the Haughton team. “Unknown to them, they had already earned an award before the final competition was complete.” 

The Bucs were presented with the 2023 Air Force JROTC Rocketry National Championship Rocketry Team award by Michael O’Toole, Department of Defense Civil-Military Program Manager, and Wayne Barron, Air Force JROTC Leadership Development Program Manager. Out of 90-thousand JROTC students in 876 schools throughout the nation, the Haughton team was chosen as the best.  

“The Haughton team was composed mainly of freshmen and a sophomore,” Scott remarked. “They plan on returning to DC and representing Louisiana again next year to continue demonstrating that Bossier Parish is educating for the future.”