Fifth grade students in Janie Bravo’s Spanish class at Horizons-on-the-Hudson Elementary School in the City of Newburgh were treated to visits by a NASA thermal engineer and a local business owner.
Zaida Hernandez, a NASA thermal engineer, along with Efrain Acosta, a local business owner and barber, visited the Horizons fifth grades on October 4 and again on November 7, 2022.
Hernandez, a NASA Thermal Engineer from Texas, virtually met and spoke with HOH scholars as well. Zaida is currently working with her thermal design team at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. They are working on the Artemis project, whose goal is to land the first woman and the next man on the moon in 2024.
With her team, Hernandez is involved in the development of a lunar rover and the design of the thermal control system. She even played a role in the recent Artemis 1 launch on Wednesday.
During the meet and greet, Zaida explained how she became an engineer and what each work day consists of. She encouraged students to chase their dreams and believe in themselves.
Acosta, owner of Casa De Fxdes Barbershop, is a Horizons alumni who grew up in the City of Newburgh. The students connected with Acosta as he shared his experiences as a former student of the Newburgh School District and described his journey to becoming a barber, business owner, and an active member of our community.
Acosta has previously worked with Newburgh Free Academy’s Barbering Program and has a passion for helping students that are in the space where he once was. He encouraged students to work hard to achieve their goals and is eager to continue volunteering at Horizons this school year.
