Kimiora Otara Space Cadet to NASA

Kimiora Natua | 17 Years Old | Cook Island Māori, Māori (Te Whānau a Apanui, Whanganui, Te Ati Awa) | Tangaroa college

“ I’m a leader in my school, and I want to use this opportunity to encourage my peers to dream bigger and look beyond what's already in front of them. Like, I want to help others to visualise a path of ‘what success looks like to them’, and try to encourage them to work hard in something they actually love doing, that can get them there.“

“I also want to do my family and my people proud. Being a young Polynesian from Otara south Auckland, not many people expect you to be great. And although not many believe in us, there is so much potential you know. I want to help lift the stereotype off us and prove that we’re capable of bigger and better things then what other might expect. I want to represent and create a new path for anyone and everyone who feels trapped outside of their goals.”

“I’m interested in engineering, I feel like I thrive when it comes to hands on type of work and I actually enjoy it. Engineering is what I am currently looking at doing after school, not just for the money but also because i have a strong passion for it, and with this trip I’d like to see where an engineering career could possibly lead me. “