Alessia Paredes is 15 years old, develops websites, draws the first sketches to create her own video games and excels in the car mechanic classes taught at the emblematic Ricardo Bentín del Rímac school, where she stands out for her skills and her existence distinguishes the only women.
She is not intimidated by being surrounded by men. On the contrary, she assures that her colleagues motivate and care about her. “I’ve never felt bad. That can serve as an example for my colleagues that they recognize that I, as a woman, can achieve the same things as my male colleagues,” she says enthusiastically.
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She inherited the security she projects from her older sister, the woman she most admires and who made sure she understood that she could be and do what she dreams of, that being a woman wasn’t an obstacle is a degree in forensics and astronomy. “He told me that the only person who can tell me I can’t do something is myself,” she recalls.
The first time that Alessia Paredes performed United States of America it was a baby He doesn’t remember any of it. The return was a task ahead. So when she heard about the “She’s an Astronaut” program that will bring 14 girls to Space Center Houston POT-, did not hesitate to sign up. She wanted to understand why many are talking about the “American Dream” and that’s why she managed to be selected by the Colombian Foundation. She is among more than 600 applicants from public schools.
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little astronaut
Jimena Terán thought she would not be chosen to be part of the first crew of Peruvian girls to visit NASA. She is the youngest of the entire group and believed that the foundation would not prioritize an 11-year-old girl and that her grand prize was being shortlisted in the 80s.
“It was a great achievement for me,” he says.
Since May 2nd, Jimena has been studying STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, as it is called in English), and she admits that traveling by plane scares her a lot. He never left the country and even less without his parents. She says that she dreams a lot about her trip (August 22-26), that she wakes up very nervous; But I wouldn’t change it for anything.
The future astronaut (Jimena already had the idea) loves the science and technology class and hopes boys and girls never miss classes in their classrooms again. Only then can she become a great engineer and work at NASA like Aracely Quispe Neira, the woman she admires most, is doing.
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At her age, she is also aware of gender differences in Peru. “I want all girls in the world to have equal opportunities. In my country, women do not have equal rights or freedom. I want someone to do something,” he says.
Alessia, Jimena and the other 12 Peruvian girls in a precarious situation, from Lima, Arequipa and Cusco; They were chosen not only because of their academic abilities, but also because their stories break with the clichés that exist in the world and because they help to make visible the role of school-age women. For them the sky is not the limit and they hope to be the next to explore outer space.