The Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District Senior Rocket Program received a significant financial boost through a continued partnership with First Security Bank, according to district officials.
A group of Hardin-Jefferson High School students plans to launch a large, student-designed hybrid rocket carrying a 5-pound payload to an altitude of 50,000 feet at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
The project is the culmination of students’ work through the Systems Go Aerospace Studies curriculum, a STEM program that emphasizes inquisitive, problem- and project-based learning. The model fosters skills in design, development, testing, analysis and innovation.
According to First Security Bank officials, the bank’s support is intended to impact “the minds of the young,” ensuring students have the resources necessary for the advanced engineering project.
“The funding from First Security Bank is critical,” said senior Kain Tinney. “It allows us to turn complex math and engineering concepts into a real, 24-foot-tall rocket. It shows that our community truly believes in our ability to achieve something extraordinary.”
First Security Bank CEO Clint Walters attended a student presentation to better understand the scope of the project and the need for funding.
Cutting-edge rocket science
Students are currently engaged in advanced materials science and construction, focusing on development of the rocket’s propulsion system. They are testing and constructing the solid component of a hybrid fuel grain using hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate.
The completed rocket will stand 24 feet tall and weigh approximately 400 pounds.
The team, led by Tinney and Jayna Ivey, has demonstrated technical depth in its work.
Ivey and Grayson Sullivan recently presented the mathematical model at a Student Attendance Improvement Conference attended by NASA employees and students from other Systems Go programs.
“As a high school engineering teacher, I can’t overstate the value of our partnership with First Security Bank,” said Mike Fogo, rocket instructor for engineering and STEM at Hardin-Jefferson High School. “Their support has empowered our students to take on the challenge of building a truly complex rocket. Just as importantly, they’ve given students insight into the business side of the engineering design process — budgeting, planning, presenting and receiving real-world feedback. That combination of technical expertise and professional guidance transforms a classroom project into an authentic engineering journey.”
Inspiring the next generation
Beyond the classroom, students have worked to inspire others and secure broader support for the program.
They hosted a booth at the Houston Air Show from Oct. 17-19, 2025, to showcase the project, attract potential sponsors and inspire interest in STEM fields.
Tinney and Ivey have also taken steps to sustain the program locally by developing a STEM camp for area youth. The camp is designed to encourage continued interest and participation in the specialized STEM curriculum at H-JISD.
“It is an honor and privilege to support such a worthy cause,” Walters said. “Helping develop our future generation supports First Security Bank’s mission of giving back. We are proud to be part of the rocket program.”
The high-altitude rocket launch is planned for mid-June and is pending final testing and regulatory approval.
— Business Journal Staff
