Personal Input
My experience captaining my TARC team last year taught me a lot about leadership and teamwork. However, now that I've experienced the rigor of NASA Student Launch, I feel that my TARC experience was merely an introduction to the world of rocketry.
NASA Student Launch is a university-level research project; along with designing and building a high-powered rocket, we write multiple detailed reports, and have review meetings with NASA scientists guiding our progress. It's very rewarding, because such a prestigious project has given me exposure to high-level research. I've learned how to write professionally, present information concisely and clearly, and I've improved my leadership. Every setback was a learning experience, and every conflict was an opportunity to exercise my skills in dealing with an issue quickly and effectively.
I really feel that I've grown as a person due to my experience with this NASA Student Launch team, and I'm incredibly grateful that I got this opportunity to learn more about rocketry and general soft skills that I no doubt will need in the future.
Vertical Projectile
Adelle's Biography
I'm currently a junior in high school. My favorite pastimes are reading, writing, listening and producing music, and learning about biology. I plan on going into medicine in the future; I'd like to find ways to combine medicine and technology, using my acquired skills of STEM. I started rocketry last year, in my sophomore year, when I captained a TARC team. I had wanted to explore physics and mathematics more, and I found that rocketry gave me that opportunity to apply what I'd learned.
After TARC ended last year, I heard about Albert's NASA Student Launch team, and how most of the team members would be leaving for college. Knowing the team would be in dire need to more members, and wanting to delve deeper into the arena of rocketry, I joined the Vertical Projectile team, accepting the role as co-captain, helping with recruiting more members and starting the new team running smoothly. With Brenda and the mentors' help, I was able to learn more and more about co-leading the team as well as how to participate in such an in-depth research project that NASA Student Launch is.
I'm very glad to be a part of this team, and very honored to be the co-captain. I have a passion for science, and this project has given me the opportunity to see how the things we learn in school classes can be applied to something tangible.