Over the next five months, eight Aviation High School juniors will participate in the Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS) program, which is designed to prepare students for careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

The students, Ted Anthony Ayson, Rocco Buty, Brian Huynh, Mike Huynh, Abigail Jarve, Miguel Laigo, Mahekdeep Singh, and Lillian Stewart, will complete online academic coursework in order to qualify for one of 160 Summer Residency session slots.

To qualify, students must satisfactorily complete ten online lessons, consisting of research essays, space-related math problems, and detailed graphics that illustrate their ideas.

Students who qualify for the Summer Residency will be hosted in June or July for six-days at The Museum of Flight. During the residency they will be guided by professional engineers, scientists, university students, and educators as they collaborate with other students to design a human mission to Mars. They will also take tours of engineering facilities and laboratories, complete team engineering challenges, and meet leaders in STEM fields.
According to WAS officials, a total of 290 students from schools across Washington State will participate in phase one of the WAS program this year. Officials also report that over 70 percent of WAS alumni are pursuing a college degree in a STEM field, attending some of the top engineering colleges and universities in the U.S.

For additional information, visit the WAS program website at http://www.museumofflight.org/was.