Ridge Sophomore Selected As Finalist In NASA's Essay Contest

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Ridge High School student Aishan Jupudy was selected as a finalist for the national level essay writing contest organized by NASA Glenn Research Center for their 80th Anniversary event.

Jupudy, who is currently in 10th grade, was selected as one of the top 25 finalists in the USA "for outstanding achievement in essay composition and demonstrating inspirational passion for continuing to push boundaries and break barriers as a member of the next generation of researchers and explorers," according to NASA Glenn Research Center.

Students in grades 4 – 12 were invited to join the celebration by learning about NASA Glenn’s missions and people and then writing an essay explaining how their exploration and discoveries inspire them and their career goals or may change the way we live and work in the future.

"I've always been fascinated by space, so I intuitively gave this contest a shot. I didn't think too much about winning or anything. Studying and writing about NASA GRC's current technological advancements evoked an even stronger passion for space within me," said Jupudy. "Placing as a finalist completely changed my perspective of what I was capable of. I'm not stopping here, in fact, I'd like to just see this as the beginning. I can't wait to see the future of spacecraft technologies, and most of all, I want to take part in that innovation. Being a finalist in this essay contest showed me that my dream isn't too unachievable."

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.