5, 4, 3, 2, 1…blast off!

Senior Katherine Wang presses the red launch button, watching with anticipation as her rocket thrusts upward from the sprawling grass field. A plume of smoke billows from its painted green fins, following the white body tube inscribed with the team number “428.” As the rocket disappears into the cerulean sky, Katherine revels in the culmination of months of perseverance.

“It’s exciting on launch day because you’re not the only team launching rockets, so while you’re trying to desperately fix your rocket, you hear other teams launching and other teams cheering on each other,” Katherine said. “The community in general is small, but everyone’s really nice to each other and supports each other, so that’s great — we were all there just to have fun.”

Katherine’s passion for aerospace ignited after she watched SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission launch with her family five years ago. With an innate penchant for hands-on projects, she was enthralled by the sight of a powerful manmade vessel propelling through the sky, resulting in a love of rocketry and hours of research.

Her journey, however, has not been without ups and downs. In her sophomore year, she pitched the idea of entering the American Rocketry Competition to the Aerospace Club officers. While they initially agreed, a combination of late registration and issues with administrative protocols precluded their enrollment. After becoming president the next year, Katherine continued working with school administrators to join the contest and eventually succeeded. 

The competition requires teams to create their own rockets and meet certain parameters with them, like protecting eggs while flying at high altitudes. Because this was the first time she and the other club members had undertaken a project of this scale, Katherine faced challenges from the beginning, struggling to conceive a design and actualize it.

“I was leading the team, trying to figure out what we were supposed to do,” Katherine said. “But I was also at the same time figuring out how to actually do it myself. We made a couple of mistakes along the way, but if there’s anything I’m interested in doing or I want to do, I try my best to get that thing done. Don’t have any regrets, just do whatever you want.”

Close friend senior Leana Zhou emphasizes Katherine’s unwavering determination and her consistent support. Through their friendship, Katherine inspires Leana to approach the world more openly by engaging with others and listening attentively.

“It’s honestly really incredible how dedicated and motivated she is for something she loves,” Leana said. “She’s constantly working, and she really wants to see the things she loves succeed, and she’s willing to put in as much time as necessary into it.”

Teammate sophomore Eva Hammerschmied, who built and worked on the rocket with Katherine, admires Katherine’s patience and drive, especially as one of the few women in the club.

“I was happy to see another girl in the top position, and she seemed really, really knowledgeable,” Eva said. “As I’ve gotten to know her, I’ve found out she’s a very resourceful and kind person. She was very willing to help me, even though I didn’t know what I was doing at all and was very chaotic during the first bit of the Aerospace Club.”

Aerospace club adviser and Katherine’s AP Calculus BC teacher Anthony Silk witnessed her mature and become more confident over the past year, from a curious student to someone who actively leads and communicates.

“She is a natural leader,” Silk said. “She really understands all the different parts of the competition. She listens to other people too, as a good leader should, but she understands the big picture probably better than anybody else.” 

Outside of her role in the club, Katherine applies her expertise in hands-on projects to the Girls Empowered Math and Science organization as its Operations Team Leader. The program hosts monthly STEM workshops for girls at local libraries, with previous sessions including labs and interactive experiments on topics like aviation, natural disasters and food science. Katherine enjoys not only sharing her interests but also recognizing the enthusiasm on participants’ faces. 

“I really like building things with my hands and seeing stuff in front of my face, and being able to share this joy with the kids is really nice — it’s a very rewarding feeling when all of them go and say, ‘Thank you’ to you,” Katherine said. “They have so much fun, and seeing the kids come back to our labs repeatedly is also really nice because that means they like it.”

Reflecting on the personal growth she experienced over several months, Katherine emphasizes that leadership is not about always having the answers, but guiding others through challenges. At Harker, she hopes participation in the American Rocketry Competition persists long after she graduates.

“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes,” Katherine said. “You’re going to make them anyway, so might as well have fun while you’re building the rocket. It doesn’t need to be perfect on the first go. I spent a lot of time making sure the rocket would actually get off the ground and being scared it wouldn’t. Ultimately, you can fix your mistakes, and none of it is permanent.”