Natalia Floriani is asking the community to support her journey. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Griffith school student Natalia Floriani has been selected to participate in a once-in-lifetime space tour to the US later this year.
The 14-year-old, who attends Verity Christian College, says she wants to work for NASA when she grows up and her first overseas trip will be the perfect steppingstone to her career.
“Observing out of space is something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said.
“In 2024 I had the opportunity to attend a space camp at West Wyalong. I was thrilled to be selected and spent four incredible days engaging with a retired astronaut, building rockets, learning about space, and collaborating on group projects.
“It was an experience that fuelled my passion for space even further.”
Life has had its challenges for Natalia, who lost her father due to mental health issues when she was just five. Since then, she’s taken on the responsibility of helping her mum raise her three siblings on the autism spectrum, including her non-verbal brother Aiden.
Natalia also used to struggle at school, but that changed after moving to Verity.
“At my old school, I was failing my subjects but now I’m topping all my classes … I really feel comfortable here; my favourite subjects are maths and science,” she said.
A One Giant Leap Australia Foundation trip in 2024. Photo: Facebook One Giant Leap Australia Foundation.
Her USA trip is organised through the One Giant Leap Australia Foundation, which runs educational programs for children.
“I’m over the moon for Natalia,” mum Tamara said.
“I can really see that she is going to have a bright future. I’m grateful to Jackie Carpenter from One Giant Leap Australia, who has made this possible. She’s so passionate about students who don’t normally have this opportunity; this wouldn’t be possible without her.
“I hope that other parents reading this story will look up this opportunity.”
Natalia also expressed her gratitude.
“I want to thank my lovely, beautiful, amazing mother for her support and my brother Aiden for providing moral support,” she said.
Her trip in October will see her visit the California Space Center in Los Angeles before embarking on a five-day workshop in Alabama.
“I’m going to the Griffith Observatory in America, which has the world’s biggest telescope,” she said.
But she’d rather be based on Earth when she works for NASA in the future.
“Part of me wants to go to space but I’m also worried about getting stuck there,” she said.
Natalia’s first mission is to raise $15,000 to fund her space camp trip. She has set up a GoFundMe page, to which you can contribute to if you’d like to assist.
