#STEMbassador Senior Spotlight: Alexis Wachter

What made you want to become a STEM Ambassador in the first place?

My freshman year I wanted to become a STEMbassador because I was really intrigued by the school's FAB LAB and wanted to learn more about innovation.

What has been your biggest learning curve in the lab?

My biggest learning curve in the lab has been trying to memorize all the instructions that follow with each routine, such as the vinyl cutter.

What tool do you like best and why?

I prefer the vinyl cutter the best because it is the one machine that I have worked with the most, but because it is also very versatile in what designs you can create.

How is the lab helping you see potential in your future plans for college or career?

The lab is helping me see potential towards my future plans in college because although I decided on majoring in accounting, the problem-solving skills that I have retained in the lab will help me go far.

What has been your biggest success in the lab so far?

My biggest success in the lab so far would go all the way back to my freshman year when we used the laser cutter to design truss bridges for my Geometry class. We first designed the bridges in Corel Draw, which took a while to grasp an understanding of, then saw our designs come to life as we built the bridges from the laser cutter.

What are you most proud of from your experiences as a STEM Ambassador?

From my experiences as a STEMbassador, I am most proud of being involved in the community. From all our Family Engagement nights to our ELL activities, it has been really heartwarming to see how STEM can bring our community and families together, even through language barriers.

What are your plans for next year?

Next year, I plan on attending Clemson University to study business and pursue a career in accounting. I also plan on playing club lacrosse in college as well.

Delran STEMbassadors are Delran High School students selected from applicants because they demonstrated a passion for STEM, and possessed outstanding communication skills. Much like an internship, STEMbassadors have participated in rigorous training within the Delran Innovation & Fabrication Lab space. These learning opportunities are not available to most high school students in our country, since the idea of digital fabrication has only begun to grow in the K-12 sector, to meet the needs of Workforce Development. Delran's STEMbassadors have experienced and now taught others in computer-aided design software in 2D and 3D, including Corel Draw, FabMakerStudio, Tinkercad, etc. STEM Ambassadors have utilized these digital design skills to fabricate on vinyl cutters, 3D printers, laser cutters and die cut machines. While teaching others, including younger students in community outreach programs, and adults in staff professional development programs, STEMbassadors share their expertise with others. We are certain that this platform for intelligent, relevant communication and positive interaction, will encourage our STEMbassadors to be at the forefront of the next generation of STEM innovators.