My STEM Journey
When I was 6 years old my dad, a software engineer, first introduced me to Osmo Coding*, a tangible “lego-like” hands-on block programming system connected to an iPad. What started as a simple game—leading a monster to collect purple stars and strawberries, jumping on lily pads—quickly evolved into a world that could have me thinking and exploring for hours. Without realizing it, this was my first exposure to sequencing, loops, conditionals, and trial and error each time the monster bounced back due to an incorrect block sequence.
Soon the physical play button shifted into a green flag as I discovered the Scratch community, where I began building simple cookie clickers to scrolling platformers. I followed tutorials, stylizing them and believing that I could gain “success” through recognition on the platform. However, I knew then that simply completing projects wasn’t the end. Creating a cool project by blindly following a tutorial meant I wasn’t understanding how and why my code worked.
In middle school, I enrolled in my first Python course, where I began learning the fundamentals of programming. I noticed similarities between blocks based in Scratch with the syntax I was writing. This realization deepened my interest and fascinated me because I began to recognize computer science as a powerful tool that could open doors and create anything I imagine.
Working with my dad when I encountered coding bugs further strengthened me to practice speaking out my ideas and articulating thoughts. I learned to work in step by step processes, and developed the mindset I use today to persist through challenges, shaping how I collaborate with other programmers and classmates. This was reflected when I successfully collaborated with my teammates at my first hackathon.
When I reached 9th grade, my experience in physics further expanded my understanding of how STEM applies to the real world. One especially memorable was when my teacher Mr. Chung brought his Heelys to school to demonstrate Newton’s First Law. That was one of my favorite classes as he proved to me that science really exists everywhere throughout our daily lives. I connected this back to the scrolling platformer projects I created where the Scratch code incorporated velocity variables in order to add physics to the character movement. In more recent connections, I also see the physics properties like density, friction, constraints in velocity affected how objects behave when teaching Roblox Studio with Lua at Penguin Coding School. The platforms must be “anchored” in order to stay floating. Platforms that are not anchored immediately become subject to gravity and collision detection. Seeing connections allowed me to understand how STEM is not only theoretical but also embedded in both my daily life and the projects I create.
At Newton North, knowing I wanted to pursue a path with computer science, I enrolled in a Computer Science course. Concepts like sequencing and logic, encountered in earlier experiences, became a foundation for the more complex structures I learned across multiple STEM disciplines. For math and science especially, I noticed similar approaches of logic and order of processes when solving piecewise functions or analyzing a graph of DNA mass within a cell in Biology.
One of the most significant areas of growth was during my Intermediate Robotics course. While designing our own robot, I learned about tolerances and a reality that precision in STEM is not always perfect. Initially, I believed measurements needed to be exact in order to function properly, but when my team’s design didn’t align perfectly with the drilled holes, my team adapted by using alternative solutions to make our robot just as functional. This growing opportunity reshaped my understanding of STEM by learning that despite not being perfect, innovative products and ideas are still able to thrive through trial and error. There is tolerance to success, and tolerance is essential to the production of a robot the same way adaptability in STEM is essential to progress. So whenever I approach new concepts, I don’t get anxious because I know success is not contingent on understanding concepts automatically. Success is through perseverance in continuously moving forward and focusing on progress rather than instant perfection.
Just as important was my communication and leadership within my community. Through my roles at Penguin Coding School and as a Math Teaching Assistant at Newton Chinese Language School, I learned that knowing STEM concepts is only one part of being a successful engineer. Being able to deliver, communicate ideas clearly, adapt, and grow with different learning styles is just as essential. Especially in these roles, I have a major responsibility that has the potential to impact the way a student might perceive STEM in the future. Over time, I shifted from focusing on my own comfort to prioritizing how my other students learn, developing an inclusive and supportive environment where students can feel confident and build curiosity toward the endless possibilities of STEM. Encountering students with different learning styles, I also found the idea of “trial and error” playing a critical part when finding the best way to teach STEM. If the student had a difficult time explaining their ideas, I’d experiment with other methods like using actions and analogies they can relate to, helping them better understand and convey thoughts.
The teaching experiences and STEM classes support my belief that STEM is inherently interconnected and collaborative. Whether it meant connecting the idea of a while-loop to “how long one brushes their teeth” or building a project with teammates at the MIT Blueprint Hackathon, I saw how communication, adaptability, and diverse perspectives contribute toward a collective solution. Working with a class or a team is only as strong as its smallest voice. That taught me to work in fostering growth for my class, bringing us up together as a whole. Whether it’d be the Graphics or prior digital art design experience, I always found a way to complement them with my technical work in computer science, biology projects, understanding diagrams, reading blueprint diagrams in Robotics class, and visualizing mathematical procedures, allowing me to personalize elements of my projects functionally, memorably, and creatively.
Furthermore, my commitment to personal study played a major role in shaping my identity as a STEM learner. By independently seeking opportunities through tools like React JS and Tailwind CSS, building web applications outside the classroom, I developed initiative and discipline of pursuing knowledge on my own. I also used tools like AI as a support resource to explore new concepts and debug challenges, allowing me to stay actively engaged in the critical thinking process through debugging. Now, when I encounter problems, my first instinct isn’t “Oh, I’ll learn about this later.” Rather, it has become “Okay, how can I learn from this? What tools do I need to solve this?” My personal study taught me to become a proactive learner and seek out my own opportunities because I learned the only way to make the most of my experience is to shape it myself. This mindset shaped me into a more confident person in collaboration when I realized how powerful my voice is, and how to stop negative mentality from limiting what I could be truly capable of.
Overall, my experiences combined built me into becoming a more confident, adaptable, and reflective learner. I’ve grown into someone who focused primarily on individual performance to someone who values collaboration, continuous growth, and the impact of supporting my community through STEM. This progression not only reflects my commitment to STEM and STEM learning but also shaped my willingness to continue pursuing meaningful challenges with a growth mindset and how I hope to continue creating and dedicating my learning toward the broader STEM community throughout college and beyond.
*Osmo Coding with Awbie was my first experience with programming, and it sparked my interest in STEM. The hands-on block programming system allowed me to learn sequencing, loops, and conditionals in a fun, tactile and interactive way. Growing up, this was one of my favorite activities coming home from school.