Some kids have struggled to keep up with school during this year of distance learning and Zoom classes, but not Alena Wicker. The Texas student will soon be graduating from high school and in May, she’s starting her college career at Arizona State University. And while that may sound standard for a high school senior, Alena is not your average senior … because she’s only 12 years old.
This gifted girl plans to double major in astronomical and planetary science and chemistry and it’s all to make her dream of becoming an engineer at NASA come true. The tween from Texas has always wanted to work for NASA, at first as an astronomer, but decided to switch to engineering because of her love of building things. And she’s been doing that since she was four and found her passion for playing with Legos.
Alena has always been advanced and has even launched her own website, Brown Stem Girl, for girls of color in STEM after noticing racial and gender disparities in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. She’s also always had her career goals in mind, telling her mom when she was younger, “I’m going to be the youngest Black girl to ever work for NASA – watch!” And now this prodigy is closer than ever to making that dream a reality.
Source: Good Morning America