Funding My Dream Aerospace Program

Hi, my name is Grace, and I am a Junior in high school hoping to pursue a career in Aerospace Engineering.

Since I could talk, I’ve been fascinated with the stars. Other kids begged for one more lullaby. I begged for another tale of the planets beyond, the galaxies yet to be discovered.

This year I took a shot in the dark and applied for one of the most selective summer programs offered to Juniors: The Yale Summer Program in Astrophysics. I never expected that my years of hard work would make me one of only 32 students selected in the world. But when I got the letter of acceptance, despite my excitement, I was immediately disheartened by the knowledge that we could never afford such a prestigious program. Not giving up hope, I applied for financial aid and fortunately got the tuition reduced; however it is still far from the range of affordable.

After years of pushing myself to aim high and achieve my goals, I still can't believe how far I've come. I am more than just the six-year-old that scoured the skies with my telescope, hoping to see the big dipper. I am now a seventeen-year-old, trying my hardest to find out who I am. At my core, I want to make my six-year-old self proud, and I think this program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do just that. To cement my passion for astrophysics and set myself up for the career of my dreams.

All I ask of my community is a little help reaching for the stars. We still need funds for my tuition and flight expenses, so any contribution is greatly appreciated.