5,4,3,2,1. . . Blast off!

Although it took a few tries to get one off the ground, Friday's rocket launch was serenaded with oohs and ahhs from more than 100 students from St. Lawrence School Friday.

"What if one went 174,000 feet up in the air," first-grader Luke McGraw asked a friend. "That would be cool."

The launch was the final event of the week celebrating this year's Reading Week motto, "Take Flight: Read," and the centennial of the first flight. The two events were combined because of the similar themes, said Mary Jane Clouse, reading teacher at St. Lawrence.

Despite a few false starts, the children from kindergarten through sixth grade enjoyed it once the rockets took flight.

"The coolest part was when they finally launched," fifth-grader Ben Higgins said. "I guess it was worth the wait."

Jerrod Laber and Alex Brown, seventh-graders at St. Joseph, gave the demonstration to the younger students.

"I just like building them. I have done it for fun and for a science project," Laber said. "We try to teach them how to reach new heights."

Brown said they were excited to see how the rockets would do.

"We have got one that goes up 600 to 1,000 feet in the air," Brown said. "There is not much wind, so it is a perfect day."