Published: July 28, 2008 09:06 am      

Reach for the Stars

Local teenager soars at Alabama space camp

A certified pilot at the age of 17, Lindsey Stevens of Corsicana definitely does not see the sky as her limit.

The recipient of the 2007 Women Soar Scholarship to Space Camp, compliments of Ragged Edge Aviation and Ms. Crissy Tonsi, Lindsey spent a week in June as a Mission Specialist in the Advanced Space Academy program at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. She is well on her way to pursuing her dreams in aviation.

During her stay, she got closer than ever to what it’s like to be an astronaut through specialty training in the Underwater Astronaut Trainer (UAT), performing critical EVAs (Extra Vehicular Activities) to repair satellites or the Hubble Space Telescope, and conducting scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station.

A member of the von Tiesenhausen team, Lindsey also exercised leadership and teamwork abilities that contributed to the success of her team. Catching the eye of her counselors, Lindsey proved her strength and passion for aviation as she received the Right Stuff Award at graduation, the top individual award granted to campers.

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center staff, family, and alumni look forward to seeing how Lindsey’s experience at Space Academy contributes to her future aviation goals and achievements.

Created by an Act of the Alabama State Legislature, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center houses over 1,500 artifacts chronicling man’s conquest of space, and it remains Alabama’s top tourist attraction. It is also the home of Space Camp and Aviation Challenge, the nation’s leading science and aviation based educational camp programs.