Mya S., Chaminade Julienne High School
Reach for the Stars
By age sixteen, I’m hoping to receive an astronomy internship at NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration. From the time I began elementary school to when I got my first telescope, I have been interested in the stars and what lay beyond them. Astronomy is something that I’ve grown to love and find a sense of comfort and passion within. Obtaining this internship would mean so much to me and would be one of the greatest accomplishments I’ve ever achieved. However, in order to be accepted, I have to meet certain requirements: U.S citizen, age of at least 16 years old, and maintain an average GPA of 3.0-4.0. The first two don’t sound too challenging, but I am making it my top priority for the next two years to put my very best into my education.
Ever since I first discovered the opportunity to become an intern at NASA, I haven’t stopped working to reach for the stars. I know that if I really want to receive the internship, I will have to come up with a plan to reach my objective. I first want to consider taking actual classes related to astronomy as opposed to just reading encyclopedias. I also want to look more into the program to see if it offers college scholarships to teens who participate. One thing that is crucial for me to grasp in order to keep my plan steady is staying organized. Staying organized is something that I’ve been struggling with since I was little. I’ll get off to a great start with organization, but over time things become more unstable and begin to start piling up. Keeping myself sorted would assist me in making time for studying astronomy and all the while maintaining a healthy balance between research time and school time.
In all honesty, sometimes I feel discouraged and consider not applying for the internship. I often compare myself to others and think about how there are probably lots more people who are more qualified applicants for the positions that they offer. I wonder what makes me so much better than everyone else who wants the internship. After the negative thoughts fade away, I try to remind myself that everyone has something unique to offer towards the program and confidence is key. Maintaining a positive and optimistic attitude is how I’m going to keep my head up!
From now until I hit sixteen, I’m going to keep climbing towards the mountain top. And at the acme of that tall mountain is one of my biggest dreams for as long as I can remember. While I do know that the journey of that mountain can be treacherous and difficult, it won’t stop me from trying. If I do reach the peak, I won’t end there. I will continue to reach for the universe and beyond.
