Boys Ranch High School student David B. will be part of the Texas High School Aerospace Scholars program.

The program allows juniors in Texas high schools to interact with NASA. David will be in the program for a full year. He will complete an online course focused on aeronautics, the International Space Station, Earth, the solar system and the Moon to Mars program. “I am looking forward to a foothold to NASA and a trial run for the occupation that I want to pursue,” David says.

David’s science teacher, Becky Gaffney, encouraged him to apply for the program. “David has a strong background in STEAM due to his work with Phillip Miller in the Experiential Learning Program,” Becky says. “Since the beginning of the school year, it’s been clear that David works and thinks at a high level and has strong problem-solving skills. I knew the NASA Aerospace Scholar program was a perfect fit.”

At Boys Ranch, David is active in the STEAM lab, creating imaginative 3-D printed desk nameplates, among other forward-thinking projects. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

“The program will provide David with challenges that require critical thinking and hard work,” Becky says. “He will learn firsthand what it means to be an aerospace engineer for NASA.”

Over the years, David has always shown enthusiasm for learning the “how” and the “why,” Phillip says.

“This enthusiasm has pushed him to grow in his ingenuity and creativity, not to just manufacture a design, but to create a solution. I am looking forward to seeing what he will both give and gain from this opportunity,” he says.

You can support children like David in discovering their full potential by including Cal Farley's Boys Ranch in your estate plan. Contact the Office of Planned Giving at 1-800-687-3722 or giving@calfarley.org to learn more.