Summer break is the perfect time to travel, relax at home, and hang out with friends. For one Horizon Honors student, summer break offers something different. Senior Manu Kondapi has been given the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., to meet Senators and Congressmen and she has been accepted into the WISH program for NASA.

Colonial Dames sponsors the week long trip to Washington D.C., giving students a chance to tour the city, meet with Senators and Congressmen, and participate in a mock UN meeting. “I applied to the Colonial Dames with an essay and application and they chose one kid from each state,” said Kondapi, who is looking forward to the trip and is honored she was chosen. Kondapi applied to Women in Stem High School (WISH) and had to complete an online course in order to be selected into the program. “I had to do this online program all year and then they chose 40 kids to go to the Johnson Space Center and work with the engineers to design a mission to mars.”

Kondapi is excited to spend her summer learning and experiencing new opportunities. With senior year right around the corner, she is hoping to gain work force experience and bulk up her college applications. After all, summer break is the perfect time to experience new opportunities.