The launch of the U.S. Space Force in 2019 opened many new academic and career opportunities for graduating high school students. With a passion for engineering and a family military legacy, Bishop O’Connell High School graduating senior Claire Toia plans to enroll to tackle challenges in space.
Toia will head to the University of Virginia on a Space Force-sponsored Air Force ROTC scholarship. Since the Space Force is so new, she explained, “It doesn’t have its own ROTC program. So, they have it where you can opt in to be considered for a Space Force version of the high school scholarship.” After her junior year at UVA, Toia will interview with the Space Force.
Toia said that her academic and career ambitions are inspired by her parents, who are both engineers and met in the U.S. Air Force.
“I’m going into electrical engineering, or at least that’s the plan for right now. That’s what my mother did, and she was in the Air Force for over 20 years. She was basically doing what the Space Force does now,” Toia said with a smile. “So, I’m kind of following in her footsteps.”
A jack of all trades, Toia enjoys participating in and leading a variety of clubs at O’Connell, including the Quiz Bowl and library clubs. As president of both the astrobotany club and the radio, aviation and engineering club, Toia grew in her passion for engineering and space throughout high school.
During her four years in the engineering club, she competed in multiple space-themed competitions, including the StellarXplorers competition, where her team advanced to the semifinals. In another competition, the NASA App Development Challenge, Toia and three O’Connell students developed an app that mapped the moon using data submitted to the competition.
At a recent assembly, O’Connell staff awarded Toia for her leadership with a commitment award. “That was a surprise, because I had forgotten that they did those types of awards,” Toia said.
A longtime Girl Scout and altar server at St. Joseph Church in Herndon, Toia said volunteering and practicing the faith will be essential as she begins college.
“I have loved (each) of my four years at O’Connell, and I’m going to miss so much of it,” Toia said.
