CRAFTSBURY – Raz Mille, a 16-year-old Craftsbury Academy sophomore has been selected as one of five students in the U.S. receiving an all expense-paid scholarship to attend the 2025 International Science School (ISS) in Australia this summer.
courtesy photo
One hundred ten science students from around the world will gather at the University of Sydney from July 6 to July 19 for the Professor Harry Messel International Science School. The program offers two weeks of science that is free, says its website. “I’m honored and exhilarated to attend,” said Mille
His journey to being selected began when one of his friends mentioned a Higher Orbits’ Go For Launch! program in passing, says Mille. “I am incredibly glad that he did because it has opened up opportunities and possibilities that I could never have imagined. I have only done one Higher Orbits program so far but it is still one of the coolest experiences I have had.”
Mille says he plans to study aerospace and general engineering after high school and hopes to eventually work with NASA.
“My group and I were doing an experiment on how ferrofluid would react in space with an electromagnet and different sound frequencies being played. We didn’t end up winning, but I know we got close. All in all, my Higher Orbits experience so far has been out of this world,” said Mille. “At the end of Go For Launch!, Michelle [Lucas] told us about an amazing opportunity where we could go to Australia and learn from the best about all the different areas of science. I thought, ‘Hey, why not apply?’ So I did.
“About a month later my mom told me about the Facebook live event and recorded my reaction. I don’t think anyone at Higher Orbits can use it though because I said something like ‘holy mother forking shirt ball.’ Needless to say, I was and am very excited for this [opportunity].”
Michelle Lucas will chaperone the trip to Sydney. She worked at NASA’s Johnson Space Center for over ten years as a flight controller for the International Space Station (ISS), as an astronaut instructor and in several other capacities. Along the way, Lucas found she had a passion for launching the next generation’s dreams and ambitions, which led her to found the non-profit Higher Orbits to use space to excite and inspire students about STEM, leadership, teamwork and communication.
courtesy photo
“It’s our honor and privilege to select the U.S. students for this prestigious international event.” Lucas said. “We are over the moon that Raz is able to be part of this cohort and will be the first student from Vermont to attend ISS.”
Mille’s parents Nadav and Bru Mille own and run the Chef Nadav catering business from their home in Craftsbury. “We’re incredibly proud of Raz. He’s always reached for the stars and we hope he lands on another world someday,” said Bru.
When she was pregnant with Raz, Bru says their nickname for him was Galileo because they wanted him to reach for the stars. “He’s always been a sciencey kid. When he was three he wanted to know everything there was to know about dinosaurs.”
He’d enjoyed meeting the other four students on Zoom and “they were very chill people,” said Raz. “I think that if I had to choose the thing that I am most excited about it would have to be meeting everyone from all over the world. I love making connections with people and I feel like this is one of the best ways to do so. I mean, if they’re going on this trip, they have to have similar interests as me because it was my interests that got me to go on this trip. I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait for this adventure to begin.”
Out of 1,400 possible applicants involved in Higher Orbits events, several dozen applied, from which the final five were selected, said Raz.
Raz says part of his agreement with Higher Orbit involves keeping a blog, the first post of which appears at higherorbits.org/raz-selected-for-2025-international-science-school/
