CLEVELAND — An 8th-grader from the Huron City School District is shooting for the stars and getting one step closer to his dreams of working in aerospace.
Grant Bauer, 14, is just one of 20 students across the United States who are getting personalized messages from NASA’s Mars “Perseverance” Rover on Tuesday afternoon.
Teachers and community leaders nominated middle school-age students for this award who demonstrated perseverance in their academic pursuits and when two of Grant’s teachers heard about it, they knew he was a perfect choice.
“The description for the award, it was like they were describing him. And so I know Mary and I had talked when she had him in seventh grade and now currently I have him in eighth grade. It's like he is that student,” said Leah Lacrosse, an 8th-grade science teacher at Huron City Schools.
Fellow teacher Mary James, a 7th-grade teacher, echoed her sentiments about Grant.
“He approaches everything with kind of like a positive attitude. I'm ready to try this, and he is a kid that other kids naturally gravitate towards. He's got this leadership ability that's so organic,” she said.
Grant’s teachers, who also happen to be his cross country coach, said he’s additionally active in steam club, student council, national honors society, and he helps tutor other students after school. He recently became a 3-D printing expert.
“He ended up doing an entire independent study project that included 3-D printing models for different NASA shuttles. He actually interviewed a local retired NASA scientist,” said Lacrosse.
This is the first time students like Grant are getting messages beamed from another planet. They will also be able to meet virtually with the rover team members doing mission controls at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“I love doing experiments, but space science is probably the best. I would love to be a NASA engineer. I think that'd be super fun to do,” Grant said.
His teachers aren’t the only ones who are proud. Grant’s dad, Matt Bauer, is proud of his son and also thanked his teachers.
“In fifth grade, he had a science teacher, Mrs. Sweet, who did a lot of space. So I think that's where it really kind of started, and it's now really grown into this large passion of his. We're just proud of him. But then, you know, thankful that he has a teacher like Mrs. LaCrosse who would go out of our way to do this for him.
Grant will be receiving messages from the Rover at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
If you would like to nominate a student in your community to win a message from space. NASA is offering three more chances this year. Click here to nominate someone in your community.
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