Delbarton School is proud to announce that Makayo Cheung '28 has qualified to join the U.S. National Model Rocketry team. Makayo will represent the United States at the 2025 World Spacemodeling Championship next August in Zrenjanin, Serbia.

The U.S. team, sponsored by the National Association of Rocketry, will compete against teams from 24 other countries in various events. Makayo will specifically compete in the S1A Altitude competition. The World Spacemodeling Championship is organized under the auspices of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the governing body for international aviation sports. The championship is held every two years, with the most recent event in Austin, Texas, in July 2023.

"This championship is often referred to as the Olympics of international model rocketry," said a spokesperson from the National Association of Rocketry. Each event begins with an opening ceremony where teams march in by country, wearing their uniforms and carrying their national flags. The week-long event concludes with daily medal ceremonies, featuring Olympic-style medal stands, the raising of the winners’ flags, and the playing of the national anthem for the gold medalist.

Makayo earned his spot on the 2025 U.S. Spacemodeling Team this past August during a competition in Pueblo, Colorado. There, he competed against junior model rocket flyers from across the country, successfully flying several events to secure his place on the team in one of those disciplines. "I spent over a year researching, designing, building, and testing rockets for various rocketry events. There were definitely challenges along the way, such as design and building errors. I learned to be persistent and keep trying," he reflected.

In the World Championship, Makayo will participate in the S1A Altitude event. This highly technical challenge involves constructing and flying a two-stage rocket, entirely built by himself, to achieve the highest altitude possible. The complexity of this event includes igniting the second stage and deploying recovery devices from both stages. Makayo’s rocket will carry a miniature electronic altimeter to accurately measure altitude, making this a formidable challenge that showcases his skills as one of the best in the U.S.

Representing the United States as an individual and a member of a three-person team, Makayo is excited about the opportunity to compete on an international stage. "I am looking forward to traveling to Europe for the first time and also meeting other competitors from around the world."

As a current ninth grader, Makayo has gone all in finding many different activities to get involved in on campus. "I am involved in many clubs such as the Research in Science Club, Robotics Club, Classics Club, History Club, and Investment Club. I am currently on the Cross Country Team and look forward to the tennis season," he says.

The Delbarton community salutes Makayo as he embarks on this remarkable journey!