In the year 1957, Sonny’s life had begun to change with the launch of Sputnik, the first rocket in orbit by the Russians. Sonny was a quiet and ordinary teenager. Seeing this event in the sky above his own backyard, Sonny felt as though he could touch the rocket. For the first time in his life, an extraordinary event was happening in Coalwood. This significant event inspired Sonny to build his own rocket. Sonny had wanted to prove to his father that he could go to college and leave Coalwood. He had always been second in his family from his father’s perspective because his brother Jim, a football player, had always been supported by Sonny’s father. His father had a

lways presumed that Sonny would live in Coalwood and work at the mine.

Seeing Sputnik brought the world to Sonny’s life and gave him hope that he could do something meaningful that would show his father there is more to life than Coalwood. He thought that one day he and his friends would build a real rocket in Coalwood, McDowell County, West Virginia. He knew that it was a group effort to build a rocket. For that purpose, he gathered his friends Roy Lee, O’Dell, and Sherman around him. Their first attempt was a failure but it didn’t stop Sonny and his friends. Though it was not easy to get the necessities that they need for rocket building they were determined to find a way. Sonny wanted Quentin, the most hard working student in his class, to join the Rocket boy’s team. Sonny thought that he would help him to understand the scientific and mathematical aspects of rocket building. Quentin’s understanding of math and science was not enough by itself, the boys needed a resource to gain the knowledge.

Miss Riley, the boy’s chemistry teacher, had always supported them in their efforts to build a rocket. She was so happy to see them interested in such different work than football, which was more popular than rockets at the high school. Sonny and Quentin tried hard to find sources of knowledge about building rockets but nothing helped them with building a rocket. Miss Riley came to their help by giving them a book, which was invaluable for them, about building rockets. However, the

Some topics in this essay:
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