The moment we were finally given the greenlight to pack our bags and make the trip to Florida from Arizona; it had felt like the time was finally here—there could be no other delay. An event like the one my team was blessed to witness was not only important for us and our families, but to the school for supporting us the entire way. The glory was not just onto us, but onto our teachers as well. When we were in the conference room right before the launch, I felt completely out of place as it was filled with real professionals and teams actively making an impact in a variety of fields; however, it was very heartwarming as I hope to one day be in their position. If by any chance that I’ll be in the same conference room in the future.
The actual launch is something that I cannot ever forget; I still hear rockets at night whenever I think about it. It touches my heart so much knowing that at least one part of me and something that I helped bring together made such a distance regardless of the results or conclusion the experiment will bring when the thirty days are over— it is just the fact that my love for science paid off in the most satisfying manner it could. I assume that is what it really boils down to, is how much someone cares or is willing to go for something they care about. Without a doubt, this is the most memorable moment in my high school experience. The trip after the launch left me in a state of hunger in the sense that an experience like this one derived from diving and trusting in STEM, makes any future endeavors worth the chance to really spend the time working towards.
When we returned, back to Phoenix, we were bombarded with questions from my friends and teachers—my Physics teacher even livestreamed the launch in his classroom for students to watch. I can only hope where this passion can take me in the future. Thank you to my parents, teachers, God, and the Higher Orbits team for making this all possible.
Written by Anthony Quezada
