Logan Latham

Essay A

Describe a setting in which you have collaborated or interacted with people whose
experiences and/or beliefs differ from yours, Address your feelings, and how those
feelings were or were not changed by this experience.

I was so excited when I was selected to participate in National Aeronautics and

Space Administrations High School Aerospace Scholars program (NASA HAS). After
submitting my application and receiving a recommendation from my State Legislator, I
completed online course and project related to Aerospace and NASA. Then, I was
selected to go to NASA for an onsite summer experience.

When I eagerly arrived at Johnson Space Center (along with my fellow high
school scholars) in the summer of 2015, we were immediately placed into four groups
based on our interests. I was placed into the "Alpha" group, which was in charge of
spacecraft design for a mock Mission to Mars. I was included in a group of ten
students from all over Texas. The students on my team had different experiences and
even cultural backgrounds from me. For instance one member went to a very small
school and was not accustomed to large groups. Another member was Indian and had
different religious views and I came from a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics) High School, where I have taken engineering courses every year and
have developed a different way of thinking and presenting ideas. My first impression
was that it would be difficult to collaborate as a team. I was greatly concerned that our

Logan Latham

differences may end up not seeing eye to eye or even the inability to produce our
completed design project.

My team divided into separate mini groups according to our strengths. Some
worked on video documentation of or work because they were skilled in recording and
video editing. While some did research and / or assisted in rough sketches. The rest of
my team, including me, worked on constructing the actual design of our spacecraft
because we enjoy building and crafting models.

Due to our separate strengths, we were able to come together as a team and
create something that was better than any one of us could have done alone. Once we
compled the project, we presented it to the judges. We were asked to present it two
more times, one of which was videotaped for management. At the final ceremony, our
team was presented with first place for having the most professional, practical, and
aesthetically pleasing presentation and design for the week. In the end, I realized that
our differences were for the greater good of the team and not only helped us in
achieving our goal but helped us excel beyond our expectations.