The Plains, VA – Boy Scouts Troop 74 from Montville, NJ, today soared their way to victory, earning the title of National Champion at the 23rd American Rocketry Challenge National Finals held at Great Meadow in The Plains, VA.
Boy Scouts Troop 74, whose team name is “The Troop 74 Rocketeers,” outperformed a record-breaking 1,001 teams that entered the competition at the start of the year and bested the top 100 teams competing at National Finals on Saturday. This is the team’s first time qualifying for National Finals. Their precision in designing, building, and launching a model rocket was unmatched by any other team in the country.
Boy Scouts Troop 74 students will take home $20,000 for their engineering prowess and will represent the United States in the International Rocketry Challenge at the Paris Air Show in June.
“Today feels surreal—we weren’t expecting to win,” said Makayo (Mak), a Boy Scouts Troop 74 teammate. “Seeing our score of two after the first round was crazy, and by the time we reached the top six, we were excited. Our biggest challenge was building a consistent rocket. Our launch tower took nearly two hours to assemble today, and balancing it against strong winds was tricky, but we were prepared. A huge shoutout to our team captain, who couldn’t be here today. We worked hard as a team—our team captain Chase led design and building, I also assisted with design and building, and Thomas helped with assembly and spray painting. For future teams competing in the American Rocketry Challenge, our biggest piece of advice is to be consistent.”
Boy Scouts Troop 74, a third-year Boy Scouts of America (BSA) team, excels in rocketry through innovative design, consistency, and function, driven by Scout spirit. The team consists of three dedicated scouts: Mak, Thomas, and Chase. They collaborate to engineer model rockets, learning more about aerodynamics for successful launches. They ensure consistent builds for reliable flights and prioritize functional designs that soar.
The team’s victory follows months of dedicated preparation designing, building, and testing a rocket capable of meeting rigorous mission parameters set by the competitions’ sponsors – the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), National Association of Rocketry, and 15 other industry, government, and academia partners. To qualify for the finals, each team designed, built, and launched a model rocket that safely carried two eggs to an altitude of 790 feet, stayed airborne for between 41 and 44 seconds, and returned the rocket to the ground safely. At the National Finals, a Friday night coin flip determined that competing teams had to launch the rockets to 815 feet in the first round of competition. The top 42 teams conducted a second launch that was required to reach 765 feet.
“Today’s National Finals was a success for all 100 competing teams, who showcased the future of aerospace innovation – built on teamwork, innovative thinking, and practical problem solving,” said AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning. “The Boy Scouts Troop 74 Rocketeers exemplified these qualities. After besting 1,001 teams, the team’s incredible achievement will propel them to the international stage at the Paris Air Show in June and set them on a bright and promising path to a career in STEM.”
Initially conceived as a celebration of a century of flight, the American Rocketry Challenge has become AIA’s signature STEM initiative and is supported by an array of industry partners – led by Diamond Sponsor RTX – who see the competition as an inspiration for the next generation of engineers and scientists who will power the industry.
“Congratulations to the participants and winners of this year’s American Rocketry Challenge,” said Pam Erickson, senior vice president and chief communications officer, RTX. “The talent, creativity, and perseverance demonstrated by these students highlight the innovation driving the future of our industry. Supporting this competition is an investment in the engineers and innovators who will tackle the complex challenges of tomorrow.”
Teams at the 2025 National Finals represented 46 states and Washington, DC, and competed for a total of $100,000 in prizes. Prizes are split between the top 10 teams and winners of the Marketing Competition, Presentation Competition, and Best First-Time Finalist. Additional awards were handed out for Most Outstanding Mentor and Advisor Award, recognizing the guidance provided to each team.
In addition, the top 25 finishers receive an invitation to participate in the highly selective NASA Student Launch initiative to continue their exploration of rocketry with high-powered rockets and challenging mission parameters.
Now in its 23rd year, the American Rocketry Challenge has inspired more than 100,000 middle and high school students to explore education and careers in STEM fields.
For more information and content, check out #rocketcontest on X, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages. You can also learn more about many of the National Finalists in the “In the News” section of the American Rocketry Challenge’s website.
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