Yassine is a KnowAtom student recently promoted to 6th grade in the urban schools of Lynn, Massachusetts. As winner of the Dr. George Laubner Award, he recently shared an essay about his life and STEM dreams at a 5th-grade promotion ceremony.
We are happy to be a part of inspiring and empowering all students who wish to follow their dreams. As educators we are inspired by his wisdom, which helps us focus on what matters: teaching to transform lives.
The following is a video, and transcript, of Yassine's dream:
Transcript below:
"My plans for my future education will have a big impact on my family and me.
My goal is to become an astronaut at NASA.
For me to obtain my dream, I need to do the best I can in and out of school. My parents and I have to be able to afford the college I go to, so that will have a bearing on the school I choose.
Right now I follow directions. But in my future, I make my own directions. In middle school and high school, I will work very hard to win scholarships so college won't be so expensive. When I go to Breed Middle School and Classical High School, I'm going to join clubs and play sports so I can add to my resume.
When I go to high school, I will try to be in advanced placement classes in math, science, and physics.
I want to be an astronaut because when I was little, I continuously looked up at the stars and wondered what it would be like to live in space, I always wanted to experience astronaut training, like g-force, zero gravity, and other simulations.
I believe that becoming an astronaut is among the most fascinating, imaginative, inspiring jobs one can obtain.
My brother is currently trying to be a doctor and he wants to go to Tufts Medical School. He wants to be a doctor because he likes making people feel better. My brother and parents came from Northwest Africa, Morocco, in 2002. My dad was a quality auditor in telecommunications and my mom was a fashion design professor.
My parents decided to come to America to look for a better life and education for my brother, and then me in 2003.
My parents believe in education and they want me to have a better life. My brother and I try to make them proud with the goals we set for ourselves. That is why I need to keep working hard to complete my goals.
When I was little, my parents told me that education is your life and that your life depends on the way you are, in and out of school.
I will try to do everything I can to keep this value and keep my goal of becoming an astronaut."
