A rocket, a lander and a rover were just a few things Socorro High School senior Esther Villa built during her week-long stay at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC).  As one of 350 High School Aerospace Scholars, Villa worked with students from across the state to learn more about what NASA does and is planning for the next generation of space exploration.   During the six-day internship, students studied math, science, engineering, or computer science by interacting with engineers at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). Among the summer camp highlights were a tour of the Johnson Space Center facilities including the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, mentoring by NASA engineers and astronauts and working on a team project for the Mars exploration project.

In order to be selected, Villa had to fulfill a series of online assignments, and projects. Villa also had to be selected to the summer program by a state legislator.  Beginning in December 2007, Villa started the first of 10 web-based lessons. These lessons included a variety of activities such as reading online curriculum, writing essays, designing upgrades to be used on the Shuttle and ISS, solving math problems, and taking online quizzes.  Then students will then apply what they have learned from the assignments as part of their challenge to work as part of a team to design a mission to Mars.

“Mr. (Jim) Hinz gave me the application and encouraged me to do this.  It was hard doing lessons and essays in addition to school work and being on the soccer team, but it was worth it,” said Villa who is the Captain for the Girls Soccer team at Socorro and is a member of National Honor Society, National Technical Honor Society and in the Health Professions Academy.   “I thought NASA was just for engineers but NASA is for everyone if you work for it.”

At JSC, scholars are grouped into four teams, Getting There (RED), Living There (WHITE), Working There (BLUE), and Mission Integration (GRAY). Teams work cooperatively designing a feasible manned mission to Mars.  Teams compete against each other in various engineering activities that include a budget where funds can be earned or lost. 

“We had to manage and organize time and money and at the end of the week, our team ended up in debt,” said Villa. “We had a budget of $323 million to buy materials.  When we did our rocket it had to go up to a certain height and it didn’t go as high as we expected and our rover broke twice, so we spent more money on that.  It’s expensive to send people to space.”

Throughout the week, each team competes in rocket launches, landers, and oral presentations with the overall goal of sending a rover to Mars and back.  At the end of the week on-site, they present details of their mission to NASA engineers, administrators, astronauts, state legislators, parents and other VIPs.

"Ester Villa is a very goal-oriented and determined individual.  She strives for perfection in all she does.  While doing so, she maintains a sense of humility and is quick to assist her peers as needed,” Elva Vazquez, M.Ed., Coordinator for the Health Professions Academy at Socorro High School.  “She is an excellent HPA ambassador. I've known her since she was a freshman and am most pleased with her academic and personal growth.  She is a wonderful role model for our younger HPA students."

After her experience at NASA, Villa hopes to pursue a career as a physical therapist for the space program.

In addition, as a an Aerospace Scholar, Villa is encouraged to maintain an e-mail relationship with their team mentor , stay in touch with fellow scholars, and encourage and recruit other students to participate in the program. She also can continue contact with HAS and maintain information concerning college, major, and post-graduation.

 The program is geared for students who are interested in and have an aptitude for math, science, engineering, or computer science. Students must also be committed to a one-year relationship with JSC, including a designated six-day residential experience during the summer.  The application and selection process begins in September.  Selected students begin working on-line from December through May.

The State of Texas, in partnership with JSC and the Texas educational community, developed HAS in 1999 to encourage more students to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). More than 1500 students from across Texas have participated in the program since its inception.  For more information, please visit the Aerospace Scholars web site at http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/.