American Girl has introduced its 2018 Girl of the Year, Luciana Vega, a creative, confident 11-year-old girl who wants to be the first person on Mars.
Megan McArthur, NASA astronaut who serves on the advisory board for American Girl’s new STEM-inspired character, says she always wants to encourage girls and boys to pursue their dreams, no matter how big. McArthur dreamed of being an astronaut since she was a teenager.
Through a Space Act Agreement, NASA partnered with American Girl to share the excitement of space with the public, and in particular, inspire young girls to learn about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
"It is so important to find exciting new ways to inspire our next generation of space explorers," said Megan McArthur, NASA astronaut who serves on the project's advisory board. "I always want to encourage girls and boys to pursue their dreams, no matter how big, and I think it helps to show how those dreams can become reality for any kid."
American Girl is known for their series of dolls created to encourage girls to think about who they want to be when they grow up.
As NASA’s human spaceflight focus shifts to deep space, including a return to the Moon, and ultimately, Mars, the collaboration with American Girl is timely. The focus on the collaboration is the Girl of the Year doll for 2018, an 11-year-old aspiring astronaut named Luciana who wants to be the first person to put boots on Mars.
The partnership with American Girl affords NASA an opportunity to educate through Luciana’s story the value of learning from mistakes, teamwork and remaining goal-oriented even through challenging moments. Luciana’s experiences may be familiar to many of the Women@NASA, including astronauts like Megan, who have overcome obstacles to pursue their dreams.
NASA provided the company subject matter experts for their advisory board, provided input for an upcoming book series, and also reviewed merchandise as it was developed to ensure authenticity. In addition to technical advice, NASA provided imagery and content for a new American Girl app and educational website. The app and website will offer children space simulations, educational quizzes, challenges, and more.
