Help Skye Reach for the Sky
The funding is for flight school at 2 Fly Airborne. It is to complete a 252-hour course including Private, time building, Instrument, Commercial (Single and Multi) and Jet Transition Program.
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— FULL STORY BELOW —
The Birth of Astro Skye
“For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace.”
John F. Kennedy.
During Spring Break, March 28, 2013, to be exact, my family had decided to go the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on a trip up to St. Augustine. Little did I know, this trip to KSC would change my life forever.
Ever since I was four years old, I was set on being a famous singer. No questions asked. That’s what I wanted to do. There was no changing my ways; I believed I was born to be onstage in front of thousands of people singing my heart out and telling my story. Just as I thought my story could not be changed, it changed in a way that altered my whole view on the world, literally.
There I was, walking up to the front entrance of KSC with the famous quote by John F. Kennedy right in front of me. I had no idea what I was in for. I took a turn and right above the entrance gate was the word “EXPLORE” in big blue letters. Right then and there I realized I had to do that – keep in mind, I did not know what “that” was.
I went through the gate to see seven giants towering towards the sky. Those seven giants were the Mercury-Redstone, Atlas and Titan rockets that took the first American men into space. Having very little knowledge about space, I was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling I have never felt before. I just knew, in my gut, that I was meant to do this. I was meant to explore; I was meant to become an astronaut.
Faced with Difficulty
Along the way, there has been some challenges. I was told twice that I was disqualified from flight and being an astronaut due to some medical diagnoses. I was distraught that my dreams were demolished. All my work for six years at the time seemed to flush straight down the toilet and I didn't know where to go. After dropping out of school and trying to rebalance myself, having a surgery to take out my adenoids and place temporary tubes in my ears for equalizing correction, I came to find out one year later, that I never had the medical problems that had me on the blacklist. It was all a lie and my dreams, sparked back to life.
Spreading My Wings
On 31 July 2020, I got up and did a discovery flight with 2Fly Airborne in Titusville, and my emotions came flooding in. I was able to fly, with no equalizing problems, and it felt so freeing for the first time in two years since I hopped back in a plane again. I knew, it was time for me to start my flight training.
What’s next you may ask? Through hard work and determination, I want to complete my flight training of private, time build, instrument, commercial (single and multi engine, and the jet transition program) while I finish up my college degree, and then go onto become a Naval Aviator and to fulfill my ultimate dream of becoming an astronaut.
I have met a number of astronauts and have heard their stories. Now it is time to make my own story; and to make this possible, the time has come to start my flight training.
I can go on and on about the amount of people who have helped me get to where I am today but the list is so long and distinguished there are no words nor amount of pages that would justify it. If it wasn’t for my parents that brought me to Kennedy Space Center seven years ago, none of this would ever be possible. 
Current Endeavors
I am finishing up my Bachelors of Science in Biological Sciences degree at Arizona State University Online and am slated to graduate in December of 2020.
I am currently a NASA Solar System Ambassador (SSA) doing events all around the country, virtually, and in person, with my main support of events taking place at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Most of all, I also am an ambassador for PinkSTEM (https://pinkstem.org/) educating the young minds of tomorrow through weekly/monthly virtual courses inspiring them to pursue STEM careers and aviation. If it was not for Ms. Tamika Ray, who I met at one of my very first NASA SSA events in a Girls in Aviation Day in Georgia, none of this would ever be possible. She has helped me grow my roots and help start my flight training dreams back up again through support, outreach, and funding.
Social Media
Website: https://astroskye.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/astro_skye/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/astroskyessa
Twitter: https://twitter.com/astro_skye
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skyeschwartz/
I hope you can follow me on my journey from looking up at the planets and stars to looking back upon Earth while standing on Mars and support my dreams to reaching for the sky and beyond. 