Each year, AIAA sponsors an essay contest for middle and junior high school students in seventh and eighth grade to encourage people to think about how aerospace relates to our lives and encourage them to consider a future in science and technology. This year’s theme is “How advanced can you envision space technology and exploration through the next 50 years? What do we need to do NOW to achieve that?” Our San Francisco Section invited schools from around the Bay Area to participate. Essays were judged by the local San Francisco section of the AIAA and two winners were forwarded for a national review. The national AIAA organization received submissions from fifteen sections from across the United States.
Ms. Ksenia Apalkova, 7th grader from College Connection Academy in San Jose, won third place at the national level. Her essay was on how space technology was needed to help protect and clean up our planet as well as how we can make space travel cheaper, safer, and easier, so that we can being to explore other planets that could potentially sustain life.
Ms. Emily Huynh, 8th grader from Dartmouth Middle School in San Jose, won an honorable mention at the national level. Her essay was on how artificial intelligence can be used to improve and accelerate humanity’s knowledge and provide innovations that will lead to better understanding of the universe and possible settlement on Mars.
We will recognize the following students first, second and third place awards at our San Francisco Section Level essay contest:
7th Grade:
1st – Ms. Ksenia Apalkova, College Connection Academy, San Jose (Teacher: Mr. Luke Holm)
2nd – Ms. Chang Yu, Juaquin Moraga Intermediate School, Moraga (Teacher: Mr. Steve Flowers)
3rd – Mr. Harry Dam, College Connection Academy, San Jose (Teacher: Mr. Luke Holm)
8th Grade
1st – Ms. Emily Huynh, Dartmouth Middle School, San Jose (Teacher: Mr. George Sparks)
2nd – Mr. Anchal Bhardwaj, Dartmouth Middle School, San Jose (Teacher: Ms. Jennell LeBlanc)
3rd – Ms. Chloe Xia, Sierramont Middle School, San Jose (Teacher: Dr. Christopher Davis)
We extend our appreciation to all the students who submitted essays.
