TEMPE, Ariz. (KPNX) – A 12-year-old girl from Arizona enters college with plans to become a NASA scientist after graduating.
At the age of 12, Alena Wicker is well on her way to achieving her dreams at Arizona State University. She graduated from high school this year, quickly completing all of her home school classes. She will begin college classes this summer with the goal of working as an engineer for NASA.
“I just had a goal that I wanted to achieve,” said Alena. “I’ve always dreamed of becoming an engineer because I’ve loved construction all my life.”
Alena’s passion for building started with Lego sets when she was a baby.
“When she was 4 years old, she said, ‘Mommy, I’m going to work for NASA, and I’m going there.’ She would point to the stars, ”said her mother, Daphne McQuarter. “She just had a gift for numbers and Lego and science, so I started nurturing that gift.”
Alena will exceed expectations and will have a double major in astronomical and planetary science and chemistry. If all goes well, she will finish college at sixteen and will go to NASA that same year. Her goal is to build rovers like the one sent to Mars in the Perseverance mission.
“By the time I graduate, I’ll be piloting one of those future space mobiles,” Alena said. ‘It doesn’t matter what your age is or what you plan to do. Go for it, dream and then achieve it. “
Her next challenge is to build her online presence by launching a podcast.
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