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Hightower?s Dimple Joseph is shown boarding a plane.

Aviation program puts her on cloud nine

By Cindy Ziervogel

The sky?s no limit for Dimple Joseph, who had an unusually easy time coming up with a career objective, most likely making her the envy of anyone who has ever had the task of completing a r?sum?. From high school students assembling their first one for college applications to seasoned workers with decades of experience, creating just the right words for a clear and concise goal is usually a stumper.

Yet Dimple is a 17-year-old who knows exactly what she wants to do and as well as when she wants to do it.

She wrote on the first line of her r?sum?: Objective: to be the youngest astronaut.

Dimple is starting her senior year in the Fort Bend school district?s En?gineering Academy at Hightower High School and has been in love with space ever since her third-grade teacher had the entire classroom passionately decorated in a space and solar system theme. She said her teacher?s enthusiasm about astronomy sparked her interest in a space exploration career. And just as importantly that particular class was a place of no restrictions when it came all the kids dreaming of future careers.

?Anyone could become a writer, singer, firemen or even an astronaut,? Dimple said.

Her desire to work in space was recently fueled when she was selected as one of 65 cadets to participate in a thrilling program sponsored by both AirSpace.Orb, designed to let high school students explore careers in the aviation and aeronautics industry and HoustonWorks USA, a provider of job placement, continuing education and vocational training services. The cadets were chosen based on a teacher reference and a 300-word essay explaining the importance of aviation and the aerospace industry in today?s society.

Dimple and the other cadets spent five weekend sessions at Texas Southern University?s Department of Aviation Science and Technology where they were exposed to airplane piloting, navigation, space station design, air traffic control and airport design and management with customized computer software.

Dimple, a kid who purposely has had her head in the clouds since she was 8, loved it all. Her favorite part, not surprisingly though, was the 10-minute flight she took with the Bronze Eagles Flying Club of Texas, Inc. She was fascinated when the cadets got an exclusive tour of Ellington Field and the control tower.

?Sitting in the co-pilot seat and being so far off the ground, flying in the air, listing to the conversation between the pilot and the air traffic controller was all a unique and God-given opportunity,? she said. The 10-minute flight in a four-seater, private plane was definitely a moment to remember. It seemed like flying a plane hundreds of feet above the ground was easier than driving a car on the highway.

?In those 10 minutes there was nothing going through my mind, I was just living in the moment. I realized that I was one of the few 17-year-old kids in the whole wide world who got to experience this precious moment. It felt like being an astronaut was not that far from being possible,? Dimple said.

Dimple repeats the words ?youngest astronaut? out loud with an ear-to-ear grin that could light up the galaxy, but let it be known that when it comes to achieving her goal she?s about as serious as it gets. She has learned it?s not always easy convincing others that becoming an astronaut is the right thing for her. But she has help in all the right places.

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Positive Support Starts at Home

Dimple said her mom, Preeti, an eighth-grade science teacher, has always been a positive person around her when others criticized her career choice.

?People always list all the reasons why it would be a terrible idea to be an astronaut, and she always reminds me of the one right reason why I should. She says, ?Do it because you want it, you dreamt it, and if it is God?s will only you can make it happen.? ?

Her dad Joseph, who is in the pharmacy business, also believes Dimple can do it, and that?s all the more reason it makes him a bit nervous.

?Just like every dad is about their daughters, he is concerned. It?s not that he doesn?t want me to become an astronaut; he looks more at the risks that I would have to take with my life.?

So Dimple has a mom who says ?Do it,? a dad who says, ?Do it but be very careful? and a sister who says, ?Do it and I?ve got your back.?

Dimple?s sister, Twinkle, is a sophomore at the Engineering Academy at Elkins High School.

?If she ever hears someone putting me down or telling me that there?s no way I would be ever able to do what I want, she becomes superwoman and stands up for me. She is one of my strongest backbones in life,? said Dimple.

Dimple has spent most of her time in high school surrounding herself with people, programs and activities that help promote her goal. She?s been the VP of the Engineering Club and the Robotics Club, and in the Tech?nology Student Association she?s held the position of President and twice was finalist in the state competition. But Dimple also knows it takes a well-rounded person to succeed even at very specialized careers. Her interests have spanned competing in poetry, speech and debate. She also sings, plays in the orchestra, volunteers her time and is actively involved in religious youth groups.

While the odds of becoming an astronaut might be slim, don?t tell that to Dimple?s teachers. They wouldn?t bet against anything Dimple said she was going to do. Especially Don Ruggles, who is the Engineering Academy Coordinator at Hightower High.

?I don?t know what age becoming the youngest astronaut would be, but I would never discount any of Dimple?s goals,? said Ruggles. ?When she decides she wants something, she sets her goals and lays out her plan. She?s an old soul. Wise beyond her years. Dimple has the drive and ability to accomplish anything she sets out to do. ?

So agrees calculus teacher Reginald Taylor.

?Dimple has the self-motivation and determination to do whatever it is she wants to do. Her consistent strive for excellence places her miles ahead of her peers,? said Taylor. ?I believe that she will achieve her goal of becoming an astronaut. And I also believe she?ll do many things to increase the awareness and accessibility of the aerospace engineering field to young women.?

Beating Sally Ride, who became the youngest astronaut sent into space at the age of 32, is really just a technicality and maybe an attention-getter to what really matters. The important part for Dimple is fulfilling her dream to be an astronaut, although she quietly admits it would be great to be in Guinness World Records as the youngest.

?My sister thinks I?m one of the craziest creatures ever born on this planet, and that?s exactly why I would be great for the job,? Dimple said.

Source: http://fortbendlifestylesandhomes.com/dimple-joseph

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