Homeschooled Arizona girl, 12, will begin college this summer, hopes to work for NASA one day

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This girl’s got goals to the Moon – and beyond.

A 12-year-old girl from Arizona who dreams of landing a job as a NASA engineer before she’s old enough to vote is set to start classes at Arizona State University this summer, KPNX in Phoenix reported.

When Alena Wicker was just 4 years old, she told her mom that she wanted to work for NASA, according to the report. Eight years later, she’s still working toward that goal, with the aim of getting hired at age 16.

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"I always dreamed of being an engineer because throughout my life, I liked building," Alena told KPNX.

"I just had a goal I wanted to get to," she added.

Her mom, Daphne McQuarter, told the TV station that Alena has always been gifted. Alena was homeschooled and aced her classes, according to the report.

A 12-year-old girl from Arizona who dreams of landing a job as a NASA engineer before she’s old enough to vote is set to start classes at Arizona State University this summer. (Arizona State University)

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"She just had a gift for numbers and Lego and science, so I started nurturing that gift," McQuarter told KPNX.

Alena plans to double-major in astronomical and planetary science and chemistry, according to the report. And McQuarter said the plan is still for Alena to finish by age 16 so she can pursue a job at NASA.

At NASA, Alena said she wants to build rovers like the Perseverance that recently landed on Mars.

Alena said she wants to build rovers like the Perseverance that recently landed on Mars. (NASA)

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"I’m just planning it all as I go," Alena told KPNX. "It doesn’t matter what your age or what you’re planning to do. Go for it, dream, then accomplish it."