Children in the Marion Natural History Museum's after-school program aimed for the stars on May 16, constructing and launching their own backyard rockets.

The children added fins, nose cones and parachutes to the body of the rockets, and then added protective aids to prevent the rockets from exploding as they took off, before heading outside to launch each and every rocket.

Every single rocket launched successfully, said Marion Natural History Museum director Elizabeth Leidhold, thanks to the aid and expertise of volunteers.

Leidhold thanked Mike and Jake Cronin, David Dodge, Evan Costa and Tabor Academy student volunteers for helping the children design and launch their own rockets.