Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Galaxy guard? Google boss? You’re hired, kid!

- JENNIFER CHRISTMAN

It’s here. The long-dreaded (for students), long-awaited (for parents) week when kids get off their duffs and devices and get back to work.

But there are some youngsters out there who never seem to want to stop working. Such kiddos have gone viral with their beyond-their-years ambition to land jobs at young ages.

Back in February, it was 7-yearold Chloe Bridgewate­r of England who wrote a “dear Google boss” letter and applied to the tech company, sharing: “I would like a job with google. I also want to work in a chocolate factory and do swimming in the Olympics, I go swimming on Saturday and a Tuesday.”

She signed off saying, “Thank you for reading my letter. I have only ever sent one other and that was to Father Christmas.”

She didn’t get a job, yet, but she did get a letter from Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai who said: “I think if you keep working hard and following your dreams, you can accomplish everything you set your mind to — from working at Google to swimming at the Olympics. I look forward to receiving your job applicatio­n when you are finished with school!” He

even signed off with a punctuatio­n smiley face.

More recently, young Jack Davis got attention for his out-of-this-world job applicatio­n.

He wrote to NASA — in pencil — earlier this month for employment: “I would like to apply for the planetary protection officer job. I may be nine but I think I would be fit for the job. One of the reasons is my sister says I am an alien. Also, I have seen almost all the space and alien movies.”

After sharing his affinity for video games, he signed the letter this way: Sincerely,

Jack Davis Guardian of the Galaxy Fourth Grade

Dr. James L. Green, director

of the Planetary Science Division wrote back to Jack in a letter posted to Twitter:

I hear you are a ‘Guardian of the Galaxy’ and that you’re interested in being a NASA Planetary Protection Officer. That’s great!

Our Planetary Protection Officer position is really cool and is very important work. It’s about protecting Earth from tiny microbes when we bring back samples from the Moon, asteroids and Mars. It’s also about protecting other planets and moons from our germs as we responsibl­y explore the Solar System.

We are always looking for bright scientists and engineers to help us, so I hope you will study hard and do well in school. We hope to see you here at NASA one of these days!

Nice, correspond­ence, huh? No doubt Dr. Green is kissing up to Jack, who will

certainly be his boss one day.

Another enterprisi­ng tyke getting attention recently is Frank of Falls Church, Va.

The child wrote a letter to President Donald Trump that White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders read during a briefing. Partially because it was just precious. And partially, we’re sure, because it was a pleasant distractio­n from a tense immigratio­n discussion.

Frank wrote, “It would be my honor to mow the White House lawn some weekend for you. Even though I’m only ten, I would like to show the nation what young people like me are ready for. … I’ve been mowing my neighbors’ lawns for some time.”

He included a flier with his services and then ended with this offer, “I can bring extra fuel for the power mower and charged batteries for the

weed whacker. I will do this at no charge.”

What determinat­ion! What drive! What dedication! And what are we doing just considerin­g Frank for his landscapin­g services?

Frank, have you ever considered being a White House communicat­ions director or perhaps secretary of homeland security? Or chief of staff, national security adviser, FBI director, government ethics director or attorney general?

Frankly — with the way openings have been popping up — the White House could use someone like Frank.

Spin Cycle is a smirk at pop culture. You can hear Jennifer on Little Rock’s KURB-FM, B98.5 (B98. com), from 5:30 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.

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