Exploring Horizons: Ladybugs, Rockets, and the Infinite Possibilities of a STEM Future Anonymous

At the age of seven, I would collect ladybugs in small containers, take them home, and play with them. I admired how they traveled high and low, imagining their view of the world to be even more exhilarating than mine. Entering high school, my love of science led me to the Women in STEM Academy at East Los Angeles College.

In the first couple of weeks, I learned the basics of how air flows over a rocket and how this affects drag and stability. This idea captivated my everyday ideas. I would now think about drag as I placed my hand horizontally out the window and noticed, with amazement, how it would pull back as I actually began to understand why. I invested over 100 hours into finalizing the rocket to guarantee the perfect model that would allow it to travel at least 2,500 feet.

June 9th, 2019 was my launch date. My grandfather and I drove to Lucerne Valley that morning. Visibly nervous and anxious, my grandfather comforted me when he said, "'Tu abuela' would be so proud of you right now, 'mi amor'." "I know she would papa, I know she is looking down on me. 'Te quiero mucho', see you in a few," I responded. I knew that regardless of the outcome, I had been preparing for this day to the best of my abilities. Seconds before my...