Rapoport Academy Student Participates in NASA 15th year program, High School Aerospace Scholars

Alexander Goodsuhm, Senior at Rapoport Academy's Meyer High School in Waco, traveled to NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston this summer to participate in a one-week summer internship..

Nominated by State Representative Doc Anderson, Alex was selected as one of 260 high school juniors from across Texas to be part of High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS). The students worked to complete eight web-based assignments during the school year. They applied what they learned during the year, which challenged them to work as part of a team to design a mission to Mars.

Alex was also a research assistant at the BRIC for the past two summers working with astrophysics professor, Dr. Lorin Matthews, researching the formation of planets with the Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics and Engineering Research (CASPER). After graduation, he plans to study physics in Arizona or Colorado.

The weeklong experience at JSC included a tour of facilities and briefings by noted NASA employees. These students and teammates concluded their experience by presenting their proposal at a brunch to their parents, members of the Texas Legislature, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Rotary NASA, and JSC senior management.

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 7,700 students from across Texas have participated in the program since its inception 15 years ago.

With this program, NASA continues the agency's tradition of investing in the nation's educational programs. It is directly tied to the agency's major education goal of attracting and retaining students in STEM disciplines critical to NASA's future missions, which include missions to Mars and beyond.

If you need further information, please contact Gaylene Reed, Director of Community Relations at 855-2397 or greed@rapswaco.org

For additional information about the NASA program, please contact Stacey Welch at 281-791-8223 or stacey.s.welch@nasa.gov
For more information about Texas Aerospace Scholars, please visit our Web site at: http://has.aerospacescholars.org
For social media updates, follow: @NASAedu and #HAS2014
NASA Johnson Space Center 281-483-5111