Meet Amanda
Amanda is a 10th grade student in Lincoln, Nebraska. Amanda is a dancer, enjoys sewing and loves STEM. She comes from a big family - she is one of eight kids - and has family in Guatemala she communicates with often.
Amanda remembers when she first got excited about STEM, especially space.
“I remember the precise moment that I decided I really loved space. I was in second grade and we were learning about the seasons and how the Earth is tilted. I just remember seeing that diagram of the Earth and I was so amazed by it. Since then I have really grown in my love for space.
As I transitioned to middle school, I also realized that I really loved building things. I have five brothers and they all build things with their hands too. In seventh and eighth grade, I decided that I really wanted to go into engineering and that I wanted to be an astronaut.”
Amanda shares more about folks that have helped her along the way.
“I got involved in afterschool programs when I was in middle school. The mentors that were in the afterschool programs helped me determine my path and what I was good at.
My parents have been so important in my life and I've never felt left out. I've never felt like they were focusing on one of my brothers or sisters more or less than me. It's been super inspiring to have them. My dad is really interested in aquaculture and my mom is amazing in languages and the arts. I've had a blend of all school subjects in my life from my parents. They've probably been my number one supporters to do this full time. School groups, parents and mentors have been extremely important.”
Amanda shares some advice to help others get excited about STEM.
“When you're (adults) helping us with activities, make sure that you include variety so girls don't feel limited to what they can do and that they don't have the opportunities that they like. Also, helping them along the way, especially if they're struggling at home or with mental health issues. My parents and the adults in my life have really focused on both aspects of how I'm doing at home and mentally and in school and my academics.”
Amanda has several interests and has looked into ways she can combine her passions.
“I've heard a lot about people who think that dance makes people better physically. So, if I were to ever be an astronaut, dance would be important for me because I would learn balance. And even though dance doesn't include microgravity, it teaches me to be light and to flow in my movements. Later in my life, I would like to apply that to being an astronaut.”
Afterschool helps enhance learning in the classroom and that is no different for Amanda.
“When I was in middle school, I did a program called Math Counts, and this afterschool program taught me coding and high school level math when I was only 11 or 12. I firmly believe that has helped me to get where I am right now. During freshman and sophomore year, I was chosen for the American Mathematics Competition because I already knew so much from Math Counts. I was one of only 25 people from our school in the freshman and sophomore groups to be chosen to participate and was also so prepared in my math classes. I've grown through afterschool.”
The future is bright for Amanda. She shares her hopes for a future career at NASA, while she stays dancing.
“I would really like to be an astronaut someday and going into college I am thinking about that. I'm thinking about going into aerospace or mechanical engineering because I'm really interested in the kind of engineering behind rockets and spacecraft.
I don't know if I'd be able to do this, but being a New York City rockette would just be so amazing. I have watched them ever since I was little and I know that it's a part time job, so it'd be feasible to also work at NASA.”
Afterschool has changed Amanda, especially in her love for STEM.