Yazmine’s Story

Storyteller: Yazmine (she/her/hers), 16, Arizona

Story Transcript: 

My first encounter with STEM was in my seventh grade science fair project judging. It was during this time where I was getting criticism, but it had objective reasoning behind it. Previously within school I was led to believe subjective reasoning overtook all, and I thought it was just whoever I got lucky with that was judging my projects or assignments. It wasn't until evaluations and reasoning panels with equations were told to me through science that I understood that there are objective reasonings. And through that they gave me explanations and how I was able to go forward. And I realized how important STEM really was. Since then, I have participated every year in science fairs, even going on to the state science fair. That original blossom within the science fair project led me to want to pursue a job career within STEM to be a cardiologist. So now I think about my seventh grade project anytime I'm going into my science classes. That led me to feel so in place. I didn't feel alienated and I didn't feel that I shouldn't be there. That was the first time that I felt everything had a place and an order.

Jazmine

I think about my seventh grade project anytime I'm going into my science classes… I didn't feel alienated and I didn't feel that I shouldn't be there. That was the first time that I felt everything had a place and an order.