San Diego STEM Trip - Selina Longest

Hello, my name is Selina Longest, this year I was able to join FHLA in a San Diego STEM trip. This trip was on the best experiences I’ve been a part of and something to remember. We worked very hard to raise money for this trip through raffles, selling tamales and a fundraiser at the Wilder Park during the fourth of July. With all the hard work and money raised we were able to enjoy our time in San Diego and Las Vegas.

Our first full day in San Diego started with a visit to the University of San Diego. The campus was super cool and really pretty. It has 6 different colleges in this University which I thought was so interesting. They have their own culture and traditions that make them a little different. They also have some of the biggest libraries that I have ever seen. After that, we went straight to SeaWorld. Between the rides, the sea animals, and all us students getting closer and laughing so much, it was such a fun day.

The next day, we visited the USS Midway Museum. Being on a real aircraft carrier, walking through the narrow hallways, checking out the jets on the deck—it felt like stepping into a movie. It was one of those places where you don’t expect to learn so much, but you walk out with your mind blown. After that, we went on a cruise around San Diego Bay. It was super relaxing, with amazing views of the skyline, the Coronado Bridge, and sea lions chilling on the docks. I personally am not someone to like boats at all, but experiencing this and seeing the city made it a little better.

The next day we drove 5 hours back to Las Vegas to see the sphere. When we got there it’s honestly so much bigger than I expected. The inside was very high tec. There were some AI robots answering questions and even one speaking 4-5 languages at once and depending on where you stood, you can hear one better than others. The show was very interesting. It was called Postcard from Earth. It showed what humans do to the earth and in a way was emotional seeing all these animals and people.

This trip was one to remember and I hope to have the opportunity to apply do this again my senior year. Thank you to Luis Caloca and Rick Godina for the opportunity to go on this trip.