Members of the rookie Damien Memorial School rocket team that finished in the top 20 of the Team America Rocketry Challenge in Virginia last weekend received commendations from Governor Neil Abercrombie on Wednesday, May 14. The rocketeers, all seniors, were in their first year of launching rockets but became the first Hawaii team to qualify for the prestigious TARC in seven years. Their first attempt at a qualifying launch in December at Marine Corps Base Hawaii blew up. But the team rallied and qualified at the end of April. "There might have been times when you weren't sure you were going to make it but you persevered and this is the result," said Gov. Abercrombie. Damien finished 19th out of the 101 elite teams invited to the TARC and that was the highest finish ever for a Hawaii rocket entry. The Damien rocketeers recognized were team captain Phuong Nguyen, TARC rules expert Joshua Schaefers, rocket igniter Angel Galvan, Darren Zhao, Paolo Atienza, Tim Buente, J.D. Manuel, ad Bryan Lee.