Steven and Hayli win Space Camp Competition
Earlier this year, the United States of America Embassy in Suva had announced a competition to send Pacific youths to Space Camp. This is part of its commitment to developing the youth and opening doors to new opportunities.
More than 30 high school students participated in the essay competition at the beginning of this year to qualify for the tour to Florida, USA, in 2021.
Steven Gauna of Marist Brothers High School and Hayli Lucas of Suva Christian Community High School have won this competition.
Hayli, 17, said the win was beyond her words and getting selected for the tour was exciting.
“I feel like a new window has opened up for me,” she said.
She said she wanted to become a commanding officer of a cruise ship and the trip would enable her to broaden her knowledge.
“The competition was to write two essays on topics: ‘How can we benefit from space’ and ‘examples of leadership’ and I am proud to be selected,” Hayli said. Steven, 17, said the win came as a surprise for him. He said he wanted to become a pilot and this camp would inspire him to learn new things.
He said he wanted to become a pilot so he could travel the world and experience bigger and better things. “I want to encourage youths of Fiji not to be afraid of doing new things,” he said.
USA Ambassador to Fiji, Joseph Cella, said the Space Camp would provide youths with opportunities in local and overseas STEAM programmes sponsored by the USA Embassy. STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics.