Cadet Master Sergeant Alex Albright, Lieutenant Colonel Pete Arnold, Cadet 1st Lieutenant Lily Schaefer, and Cadet Master Sergeant Micah Ritter work on the team's plantings after their capsule was returned from the balloon launch. (Contributed)

Stevens Point Civil Air Patrol cadets secure another national recognition

By Patrick Lynn

STEVENS POINT — For the second consecutive year, cadets from the Stevens Point Composite Squadron have excelled in the Civil Air Patrol’s National High Altitude Balloon Challenge, securing a second-place finish among 167 teams nationwide.

The challenge, established in 2021 by the Civil Air Patrol’s Aerospace Education team, is designed to engage cadets in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). The competition includes designing mission patches, creating pre- and post-launch videos, and conducting a science experiment that reaches the edge of space.

This year’s project, focused on plant growth in microgravity environments, involved interviews with NASA scientists and research inspired by NASA’s experiments. Forrest Carpenter, Ph.D., of the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, emphasized the importance of their work, stating, “For sustainable habitats on the moon and other planets, growing plants in a microgravity environment is going to be key to their success.”

Cadet Master Sgt. Micah Ritter, an 8th grader at Immanuel Lutheran School in Stevens Point, led this year’s team. He was joined by Cadet 1st Lt. Lily Schaefer, a homeschooled 9th grader from Wausau, and Cadet Master Sgt. Alex Albright, a 9th grader from the Academy of Excellence virtual school in Vesper.

The cadets’ efforts earned them a $500 grant from the Air & Space Forces Association Education Council, which they plan to use for aerospace, emergency services, and leadership training.

“The whole team worked with each other and relied on the strength of fellow team members to accomplish their goal,” said Lt. Col. Pete Arnold, the team’s advisor and a U.S. Air Force veteran.

This year’s success builds on the squadron’s first-place win in 2023, showcasing the team’s dedication and the program’s ability to inspire young minds in aerospace science and exploration.

For more information or to view the cadets’ project videos, visit Stevens Point Composite Squadron’s YouTube channel.