An Athens Middle School student wrote her way to a free trip — valued at $999 — to Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

Carlia Hood, an eighth grader, entered an essay contest in 2016 at David’s Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Tanner for a chance to win the Nella White STEM scholarship — a free six days at Space Camp. A month after Hood wrote about how social media has affected the world, she found out she won.

Scholarship organizer Pam McDonald said this is the second year the church has awarded the free trip.

There are two scholarships for students in sixth, seventh or eighth grades in any of the 26 churches associated with the Round Island Creek Missionary Baptist Association — 24 of which are in Limestone County — but Hood was the only student who applied.

Camping out

Hood stayed at Space Camp for six days, beginning each day at 7 a.m. and ending at 10 p.m.

For 15 hours, she learned about the U.S. Space Program by participating in experiments like building a model rocket, touring museums and learning all things space-related.

“There was very little free time,” she said.

As part of her stay, Hood worked with a team on simulated space missions.

“My favorite part was the missions,” she said. “They put you in whatever (position) you’re comfortable with.”

The first simulated mission Hood went on took her to the moon where she was a Lunar Mission Specialist. As part of her LMS job, Hood made sure everything on the spaceship ran correctly. On her second mission, Hood checked shuttle engines and made sure the space shuttle launched correctly.

The six-day stint away from home was the longest Hood said she’s ever been away.

“At first I was scared, but then I got used to it,” she said.

Though the time away from home was tough getting used to, it was nowhere near as tough as learning how to live in close quarters to nearly 50 other girls.

Hood said the cabin she stayed in while at camp housed close to 50 girls and had one big bathroom.

“You can imagine with all those girls, it was always crowded and you were always running out of time,” she said. “My least favorite part was trying to go to sleep because it was hot and loud.”

About the scholarship

The Nella White scholarship is in memory of the church’s pastor’s wife who died of cancer three years ago.

McDonald said she is an engineer and wanted to give young people the same opportunities she had, all the while remembering White.

“That way her legacy would live on because she loved children,” McDonald said.

Scholarship application and essay topics for the 2017 contest were sent out earlier this year. Winners will be announced Aug. 12.