MADISON, Wis. -- A local high school "rocket club" is preparing for the trip of a lifetime.

The team of four 11th-grade students from Madison West High school will travel to Paris later this month for the International Paris Air Show. The group won the right to compete in Paris after it won the National Rocketry Championship in May.

As the national champions, the team will represent the U.S. at the international show.

"We didn't think that we would win considering there's 100 teams," said Tenzin Sonam, a high school junior and member of the Madison West Rocket Club. "After they came out with the scores and we found out we had won, it was actually thrilling and amazing."

The team raised the money to build its champion 3-foot rocket by raking lawns throughout the school year.