7/18/2019 Sample GMS Scholarship Essay

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Self-motivation plus free access to knowledge equals.....what does it equal?The astronaut; one of the most popular occupations that children hope to pursue - until they hear of the harshconditions of outer space. No oxygen almost completely pitch !lack and no ground; a kid ought to pee his pantsno?"n a typical summer weekend my family was unusually occupied for a Sunday. # was preparing to do something #had never imagined doing at my age- leave home for a week and stay$work with fifty other people %&igh School'erospace Scholars( from all over the state at a hotel sixty miles away from home in )e!ster Texas. 'fterstuffing my suitcase # hustled into my dad*s 'ccord and headed off to +ohnson Space ,enter. # was a!out to meet

people that came from a multitude of lifestyles and !ackgrounds in an environment # had never !een in previously- and at the time # was sure that everyone came for one main reason; that was to find their career interest !yexperiencing the vigorous N'S' workday.'fter a mind !oggling drive # felt !eads of sweat forming on my scalp and as # stepped out of the car # !egan topat my hair down to try in an attempt to appear decent. 'n intimidating crowd stared at me from the lo!!y as #entered the hotel; # really needed to go the restroom. #n a few minutes # got my N'S' isitor ass /oom key

&'S program information. 0ater my roommates and # headed downstairs to the introductory meeting. )hen nooncame !y the next day # found myself in the 0onghorn %meeting( room of the 1ilruth center; Teresa Sindelar gave apresentation a!out the varying geological aspects of 2ars as many of us en3oyed our 0unch and 0earn session.The system of canyons and troughs connected throughout the equator of 2ars and the elevation levels changeddrastically from one hemisphere to the other first dropping like a valley then rising like mountain. 2y mouth hungopen lettuce on fork as # saw the next presentation a!out the reality of living in space - 'stronauts may !e

required to !uild a pulley system in space or even grow plants in hydroponic or soil-less ha!itats./o!ots are not my specialty; however my roommate immediately took command upon receiving the task thefollowing day. The team divided and conquered - one part received 0ego 2indstorm programming education while

the other focused on the actual construction of the ro!ot. 0earning a!out the rovers used to explore other planetsled us to create multiple appendages extending from the vehicle. iece after piece fitted twisted and clicked intoplace as # leaned !ack in my chair. #n a !lithe concentrated manner the program was created and then exportedto the 0ego ro!ot. The real test then came a!out; a mat containing numerous o!stacles was laid in front of us.,laps and shouts were the only signals that could !e heard among us as the ro!ot whirred and rapidly turned.

,heers of success echoed through the second floor as our ro!ot valiantly !rought !ack our first item to !ase. 4ythe end of the timed trial our ro!ot had lost an arm !ut its gallant efforts were not in vain. #n high spirits wereturned to our normal tasks confidence !rewing in our minds.'nother activity which !rought us to 5niversity of &ouston at ,lear 0ake involved designing a payload loftingsystem. )e attached a string from the ground to the second floor stuck a straw onto a !alloon attachedlightweight materials to it %for a follow-up activity( and then let the !alloon shoot up only to have it stop

millimeters short of our team mate*s reach from the second floor. # continuously paced around our design ta!le !ut!y remaining up!eat a!out my team # reali6ed # had nothing to worry a!out. ' visit to /ocket ark prior to thefollowing assignment was crucial - !y having multiple layers of cushioning at the !ottom of any landing system thesafety of the spacecraft was always ensured. The next team activity would result in success as well; our lander wasa!le to sustain an egg dropped from the third story onto coarse tile.

&igh School 'erospace Scholars was a once in a lifetime experience - # learned a!out the mechanism of matter inspace from home and lived the thrill of creating a mission proposal at N'S' +ohnson Space ,enter. "uter spacehas !een a true fascination for me since # learned a!out the gallant astronaut - floating freely almost in eternal!liss with the natural !eauty of the universe glimmering around you. Space isn7t that dark8 ,lose investigations ofmovies and actual missions such as 'pollo 9: have lead me to analy6e the different types of traveling paths one!eing the &ohmann transfer after a satellite reaches a certain height in a constant or!it the engine is fired to revthe spacecraft into a higher or!it. 'fter repeating this process the satellite can leave the or!it of a planet or hoverat one height to o!serve. The mechanisms of a rocket have !ecome much clearer to me - the launch vehicle worksin stages. The lower portions tend to fall off after they provide the necessary push to get the upper portion into

space. The lower part stays in a temporary parking or!it until it is detached from the rocket. <ollowing that upperstages fall off and expose the spacecraft to the vacuum of wonder.Self motivation plus free access to knowledge equals.....an enlightened and open mind. 4eing exposed to su!3ect

matter aside from school topics has led me to explore !eyond lower earth or!it all from the comfort of my own

home and community. "n top of that continuous perseverance and little adult supervision has pushed me to

!ecome knowledgea!le a!out the realm of outer space.