But sophomore Sean Carter, one of the brains that first proposed the experiment, said he thinks the colder air will condense the magnets, making them stronger.

The rocket's flight will be around 20 minutes before it parachutes back to Earth. Then students will take the magnets back to school and test their theories.

Back at the school they will hold a night to present their experience as well as visit with former astronaut Don Lind on May 8.

Wendover High is a small school with limited opportunities due to its isolation. More than 90 percent of the students come from low-income homes, around 90 percent are minorities and more than 50 percent are learning English as a second language.

But the NASA club has put the school on the map and given students a sense of pride.

And Carolyn Bushman, club adviser and math teacher, said qualifying to go to the launches allows the students to feel successful.

"We don't always score the best on tests, but with these opportunities we can say, 'Hey, look, we are not the ugly stepchild of Utah,"' Bushman said.

Students in the club all plan to go to college pursuing degrees in aviation, crime scene investigation, software development, video game creation or physical therapy.

Middleton has been accepted into the Governor's Honors Academy at Southern Utah University, a summer program that only accepts 50 outstanding students from the state.

And though Carter is only a sophomore, he is already receiving scholarships.

"This experience is sending the message to kids to dream the impossible, reach for the stars because you can make it, you can reach it," Bushman said.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com