According to the student pilot, this was his first solo flight and he was conducting touch-and-go landings and takeoffs. On the third landing, he flared the airplane high; it landed hard and bounced back into the air. He then pitched the nose of the airplane up and the tail section struck the runway prior to landing. The student pilot taxied the airplane off of the active runway and brought it to a full stop. A visual examination revealed minor damage to the exterior of the airplane. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was examined by maintenance personnel for further damage and released back into service. The airplane was used during another flight, and flight controls were noted as difficult to manipulate. The airplane was returned for further examination and during the second examination, substantial damage was noted to the firewall from the first event.