RATHDRUM — North Idaho wants to go to space, and the community has stepped up in a big way to make it happen.

A March 23 fundraiser brought in $98,000 toward the cost of an official space launch for a satellite designed by a group of North Idaho high school students. Project DaVinci — the satellite designed by a team of students from North Idaho STEM Charter Academy — is set to launch in November from New Zealand.

The largest donation of the night — $25,000 — came from Doug Okuniewicz, on behalf of The Greene Idaho Foundation. Donors at the $5,000 level included Future Frontiers and Brent Regan of Regan Designs. Ron Rosenberger donated $2,500. More than 200 people attended the fundraiser.

“It was so incredible to see that many people from our community there supporting the launch of the satellite,” said Jessica Millard, a junior and project lead. “Seeing everyone there solidified my faith in our project’s impact. We are proving to our local community and to people around the world that we can do whatever we set our mind to, whatever we choose to pursue in life. We are not limited because we are in high school still. We are empowered because of it.”

The bulk of the project is funded by a NASA space grant worth an estimated $5 million. The student team needs to raise an additional $100,000 by May 1.

North Idaho STEM Charter Academy is the only high school in the world selected by NASA to participate in the CubeSat initiative, putting students in an elite field that includes teams from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Naval Research Lab and Jet Propulsion Lab. Team members include Jessica Millard, Paige Pence, Josh Simmons, Justin Kugler, Joe Broder, Taylan Miller, Natalie Potter and Alauna Davidson.

The school gives special thanks for support of the fundraising effort to Sysco, The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Coeur d’Alene Resort Executive Chef Rod Jessick, Ron Nilson of Ground Force Manufacturing, Randy Oaks of ISU-Haddock Insurance, Deb Wheeler from the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce and Pam Houser from Heritage Health.

For more information on Project DaVinci and information on how to support the team’s efforts, visit https://www.projectdavincicubesat.org.