Reach for the Stars

Lily – future astrophysicist

My name is Lily and when I grow up I want to be an astrophysicist. My love for the stars and the galaxy really began before I got my first telescope. Then when I was in the fourth grade my science teacher showed me that there is more to the universe than our own solar system. In fifth grade, I began to think about the education that I would need to achieve my goal. I believe I will need a PhD which will take about six years after my undergraduate degree. I want to attend the University of Texas for my first degree because my hero, Neil Degrasse Tyson, went there. Since it is expensive to go there and difficult to get into, I work very hard at school and am already beginning to look for scholarships.

In the past year I have learned that an astrophysicist has many places to work. For example, SpaceX and NASA. SpaceX is a privately-owned company that was founded by Elon Mush who is also the owner of Tesla. NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration which was founded by our thirty-fourth president, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Both organizations hire the most talented, best educated people so that they can explore and examine space.

Someone who has really inspired me is Neil Degrasse Tyson. I went to one of his shows last year and was truly awestruck by the possibilities of this universe and the potential for unlimited other universes. I think the idea of discovering something nobody has ever seen is amazing. When I go to college I want to study astrophysics to prove that we are not along in the universe and that it is possible to reach for the stars.