TEXAS LOCAL FAMILY PROUD OF NASA SCHOLAR

KRISTINA COUTEE WENT TO NASA'S PROGRAM NOT EXPECTING THAT SHE WOULD COME HOME KNOWING THAT AFTER GRADUATION SHE WOULD RETURN TO NASA NEXT YEAR FOR A PAID INTERNSHIP

SHE PLAN TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF CLEAR LAKE TO GET HER BASICS DONE.THEN TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, WHILE INTERNING AT NASA WORKING AND LIVING SIDE BY SIDE WITH SOME OF NASA'S BEST. SHE IS TO STUDY AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND ROCKET SCIENCE. HER ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT,BUT KRISTINA SAYS IF I NEVER FLY AT LEAST I WILL BE A ROCKET SCIENTIST AND GET THE OTHERS OFF THE GROUND SAFTLEY AND HOME SAFE. AND SHE PLANS TO HOPEFULLY BE A PART OF THE MARS EXPEDITION IN 2036. SHE SAYS HER GOAL IS TO SUCCEED IN NASA AND MAKE BETTER SPACE SUITS AND SAFER SPACE CRAFT FOR THE FUTURE OF SPACE INHABITANTS AND SPACE TRAVEL, AND MAYBE EVEN BE A PART OF A COLONY BUILT ON MARS.

KRISTINA COUTEE AT NASA'S CLOSING CEREMONY (PHOTO TAKEN BY DEBRA KENNARD KING)

SOUNDS FAR INTO THE FUTURE SHE SAID, BUT IT IS IN THE MAKING, SO IT'S NOT REALLY THAT FAR AWAY AND SHE BELIEVES SHE'LL MAKE THERE NO DOUBT ! KRISTINA SAYS SHE NEVER THOUGHT SH'D MAKE IT THIS FAR BUT NOW IS CELEBRATING BEING ABLE TO ATTEND INSPIRE WHICH IS THE INTERNSHIP NEXT SUMMER.

I MAY BE A NERD SHE SAYS, BUT I'M GOING TO NASA, NOW WHAT!