IRSD Middle Schooler Semifinalist in NASA’s “Name the Rover” Contest
A student from the Southern Delaware School of the Arts has been selected as a semifinalist for the Mars 2020 “Name the Rover” contest being held by NASA. An essay by Indian River School District middle schooler Hailey Mack of Ocean View, suggested the name “Ingenuity” and her entry was selected as the Delaware middle school winner. The next phase of judging will reduce the competition to 9 finalists and the public will have a chance to vote for their favorite name online later this month. The winner will have the honor or naming the rover – and an invitation to see the spacecraft launch in July from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
Hailey’s essay:
Ingenuity
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has had an extraordinary amount of ‘out of this world’ experiments and missions. From launching a human out of the Earth’s atmosphere to Exploring the terrain of Mars, NASA has changed space travel from a dream to a reality. The 2020 Mars Rover will be a necessary piece for traveling farther into the vast unknown of space. In order to create a rover, or even think about creating one, NASA needs people who are inventive, clever, and original. These people hold the definition of ingenuity close to their hearts. In honor of this hardworking team, I have chosen to name the 2020 Mars Rover Ingenuity. Without them, we could never have found the path, taken the opportunity, or endeavored into the unknown. With their spirit, curiosity, and insightful minds, we can take the next big leap with Ingenuity… The 2020 Mars Rover.
Other Delaware Semifinalists –
Grades K-4 – John Cuarino, Wilmington – “Picus”
Grades 9-12 – Jozlyn Silvinski, Wilmington – “Aspire”
