January 30, 2009

News Release

TISD Students in Orbit Over Acceptance to NASA Program

            Two students from Robert E. Lee High School are accepted into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) program.  High school juniors, Taylor McCaslin and Sabah Pervez were nominated by Senator Robert Nichols to participate in the scholars program.  McCaslin and Pervez are among more than 800 students across the state of Texas nominated by their state legislator.

The HAS program is divided into two components.  The first is an interactive on-line learning experience, which includes solving math problems, quizzes and writing essays in chemistry, physics and mathematics which recently began and continues through May.  If selected, students will advance to the second component of the program which is the summer workshop where students will attend a six-day internship to study math, science, engineering, or computer science by interacting with engineers at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

            “This opportunity will give me experience and a chance to learn from actual NASA engineers,” said Pervez. “It will aid me in exploring future career choices that may interest me.”

McCaslin said, “This experience will look great on a college application and will provide me a chance to explore careers in Aerospace and Science at NASA.”

            To participate in this program, students must go through a competitive process that includes providing a high school transcript, a letter of recommendation and writing an essay to their state legislator.

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