My niece Kelsie & her rocket team

This is my sweet, beautiful and incredibly smart and talented niece, Kelsie. I’m not just saying all of that because I’m her Auntie – it’s just the truth. ;) She is a good kid. She loves music (especially the classics), loves movies (especially the oldies) and loves to write and draw (and she’s  AWESOME at both)! After she graduates high school, she wants to go to Princeton first, and then to Pratt Art Institute in NYC. I don’t think she’s 100% positive what she wants to major in yet, but she’s interested in Science, English, Philosophy, Art, Music and History and she wants to be a writer. Her favorite musician of the past is Frank Sinantra and in the present she loves The Black Keys. She loves movies so much and one of her all-time favorites is My Fair Lady. She ROCKS. I’m lucky to be her Auntie, that’s for sure!

Another thing that Kelsie loves is being a part of the JE Williams Middle School Rocket Club. She’s an 8th grader, currently, and their Rocket Team qualified last year to go to the National Competition and placed 48th. How cool is that?

You know what’s NOT cool though? They had NO sponsors and NO funding from the school. Sigh. What they do have is a dedicated volunteer, Eric Hunt, who works at the local military base and who shares their passion for rockets! Mr. Hunt has donated his time and his money to this club and they could really use some help. These kids do not come from privileged backgrounds and without help might not get the rocket supplies and funds for the team, their teacher, their sponsor and the parents to travel to Washington DC.

This is where YOU come in!

The Rocket Team has been nominated for a “Power a Bright Future” Grant by Clorox to help fund their Rocket Team to attend the next Team America Rocketry Challenge and I would love it if you would go HERE and vote for them (you can vote daily AND you can even text your vote Text clorox7330 to 44144)

This grant could fund this club for more than just one year. It could be the start of a thriving science and math club that would continue at this school for years to come. Just think of the impact you could help be a part of in these kids and future kids’ lives? Awesome.

• How this grant will help: With this grant this school could purchase rocket components and pay the entry fee for the competition. In addition, each student could have a team t-shirt that they could wear with pride. When the kids qualify- they can focus on the math, physics and science that goes into making their rocket and test launches successful instead of worrying about how to pay for the trip. This grant would provide money for learning software, travel costs, team logo t-shirts, entry fees and rocket supplies. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum is of the utmost importance if America is going to remain a world leader. This club rewards hard work with a once in a lifetime experience that these students will take throughout their student and professional careers.

There are two ways you can help (and you can do BOTH):

1. You can click HERE daily and vote for Kelsie’s Rocket Team. They need EVERY vote they can get. Seriously! Getting this grant would help them SOOOOOO much. Don’t forget – you can also vote by texting – clorox7330 to 44144.
2. Or you can write a check (make it payable to the JE Williams Middle School Rocket Team) and mail it to: 

JE Williams Middle School
155 Barren Fork Blvd. 
Huntsville, AL 35824.

Attn: Leigh Harrison, Rocket Club Sponsor

ANY amount will help these kids SO much.

To sweeten the pot a bit, every time you vote (remember you can vote daily!!) – leave me a comment on THIS blog post and if you also send a check comment and let me know that as well and after the December 9th deadline for the grant – I will draw someone from the list of comments on this blog post to win a personalized name banner (seen HERE) AND also a predesigned blog design of their choice for them or someone else (see HERE). Both things would make a cool Christmas gift for someone. ;)

Thanks so much for any help you can give my sweet niece and the rest of her Rocket Team. They are good kids and this is a super cool thing. They deserve to take part in the competition despite the lack of funds and resources their school is giving to them! Let’s make sure they get there!

And Kelsie, if you’re reading this … I just want you to know how proud I am of you. You are growing into a remarkable young lady. I know you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to. You just keep reaching for the stars, ok? Love you. ♥

I hope your day is full of blessings, everyone! BIG hugs!