STEM Stars: Dow High’s Ava Nelson kicks off new series

Editor’s note: This is the first installment in a new Midland Daily News weekly series called “STEM Stars,” which features local secondary students who  are Chief Science Officers (CSOs). These students, in grades 6-12, serve as STEM ambassadors and a liaison for STEM opportunities in their communities.

This week will feature Ava Nelson, a senior from H.H. Dow High School.  

When and why did you become a Chief

Science Officer?

I became a Chief

Science Officer in eighth grade because I have always been interested in STEM, but up until this opportunity, I didn’t have many instances where I could do anything with that passion.

My principal approached me and said that SVSU was starting a new program for middle and high school students and the focus was STEM exploration and leadership development. He thought I would be a good fit for the program, and I leaped at the opportunity to be part of this new program.

At the time, my main STEM interests were astronomy and math, because I wanted to have a career as an astrophysicist. Since then, and due to my experiences with the CSO program, I have shifted my STEM interests more toward environmental science and sustainability. Due to all the amazing STEM professionals and environments we get to experience at our cabinet meetings, I had the chance to really learn and develop my interests revolving around STEM.

What does it mean to you to be a CSO?

To me, being a CSO means having a chance to make a difference. One of my favorite quotes is, “Every day, we have the choice to live or to just exist.” I think that this program gave me the opportunity to actually live and see my ideas unfold right in front of me.

For me specifically, especially earlier on in the program, being a CSO meant getting to educate others, especially younger kids, on STEM and the amazing things that come from it. I absolutely loved seeing the kids’ eyes light up when they saw an experiment happen in front of them and then getting to answer the thousand questions that come immediately after.

However, now my idea of being a CSO has shifted to a wider perspective of getting to make a difference in people’s lives, even if it is only one. When showing an experiment, even if only one person finds it interesting, I count it as a win. However, when hundreds gather to see it happen and are amazed, that is just about the best feeling in the world, knowing that those people will walk away with a new perspective on STEM and its importance.

What do you enjoy about being a CSO so far?

After five years of being in the program, four being in person and one being completely virtual, I can definitely say that I love any time the entire Great Lakes Bay Region can all get together.

I really missed the Leadership Training Institute (LTI), where I usually get to meet all the new CSOs and reconnect with past CSOs, and especially the cabinet meetings where we would get to explore the most fascinating companies and learn from STEM professionals.

All of these things were still enjoyable online; however, it definitely wasn’t the same, and I am very excited to get back to those activities this year! One of the other things that I enjoy about being a CSO is how it stretches me to be a better person, grow my skills, and build confidence.

Two years ago at our LTI, I was “voluntold” to help teach one of the main courses, Action Planning, alongside Jake Lounsbury, the director of Global Partnerships. I was terrified to do this; however, I did it and had a blast! I ended up helping with it again last year, and I am planning on helping with the course again this year as well.

The program has also just made me more confident in general and helped me come out of my shell. In my first year, I would strictly only talk to the other CSO from my school; however, now I find myself getting excited before LTI and cabinet meetings because it is a chance for me to talk and meet the new CSOs.

One of the newer things that I love about the program is my involvement with CSO International. This past year, I was chosen as a Michigan representative to speak during the monthly town hall meetings, where we share what our region has been doing. I love hearing what all the other regions have accomplished, but it has also been an amazing way to meet more CSOs and make friends around the world!

I now have friends not only all over the US, but also the world! I was also able to make friends around the world by being involved in the CSO International EE (Equity for Everyone) Committee, a DEI committee to build training to better educate CSOs.

What is your action plan?

For the first three years of being in the program, my action plan was called “Flight Night.” I wanted to create an event that was for elementary students and focused on STEM topics that would be interesting to them such as airplanes, flight, and space.

I also wanted to partner with a community organization to create something that could be replicated beyond just a single event. As I started to plan, I was informed that the Experimental Aviation Association and some others over at Barstow Airport here in

Midland wanted to find ways to use their newly created educational area.

The first event was for Siebert Elementary, then Adams Elementary, and lastly for Central Park Elementary. During these events, we would have an array of activities for the kids to explore and enjoy, all revolving around space and aviation. There were multiple booths with hands-on activities and crafts.

We also had many professionals there to explain different aspects of aviation, such as the parts of a plane, or the science behind flight, or how pilots communicate with the airport. There were also different aircraft on the ground for the kids to see; these varied throughout the different flight nights; for one, there was a gyrocopter; for another, there was a medical flight helicopter, and there was also a crop duster.

Lastly, throughout the entire event, there were always planes doing cool tricks in the air and doing landings and take-offs for the kids to see. For each of these events, I also had some of my fellow students volunteer to run some of the activities. This past year, however, I couldn’t host another flight night due COVID, so I had to think not only of a new action plan, but also of one that was completely virtual.

That is how I ended up on going with a more marketing and outreach action plan with my blog. I realized that for the past four years, we as Midland CSOs have been doing absolutely amazing things, but for the most part, people didn’t know that it was CSOs who were leading them. So I decided to write a blog explaining who we are, what we do, and our importance. I submitted that to the Midland Public School Communique, and just hoped that maybe a few people would read it. However, it seems that it got a bit more traction than I was expecting, which is absolutely amazing because the more people who know about us and the importance of STEM, the better!

This year, I am unsure of my action plan. I want to get the flight nights back up and running, and hopefully pass it along to a younger CSO so that it can continue on once I graduate. I also want to continue the general education aspect of STEM, similar to the blog I wrote this past year. I am thinking of interviewing STEM professionals about their careers; I am currently deciding whether I want to continue the blog format and make a website, or go for the youtube video/ podcast route. Luckily, I still have some time to decide!

What first got you interested in STEM?

I have been interested in STEM my entire life, especially science, specifically astronomy. I think this has a lot to do with my parents, who are also very interested in STEM, so I just grew up in a STEM environment. My mom was always interested in biology and agriculture science, while my dad worked in medicine and I loved hearing about his days at work. So ever since I was little, I loved learning and reading about science and space.  

Why is STEM education so important?

I think STEM education is so important because STEM surrounds everything we do. No matter your career or path in life, every single aspect of your life has some small aspect of STEM. Due to this, I think that it is very important to teach kids what STEM is, how it helps us evolve as a society, and how it will impact us in the future.

I think that the younger you start educating kids about STEM, the earlier you can spark their interest and get them hooked on the idea of liking STEM. That way, it can grow and snowball as they get older. The need for more STEM careers is growing rapidly, so the more kids we can get interested in different STEM aspects, the better!

What are some aspects of STEM that you feel many people aren’t aware of or don’t understand?

I feel as though engineering is a very misunderstood aspect of STEM. I think that many people are aware that engineering exists and that it is a growing career. However, I do not think that people, especially kids going into college, truly understand the fundamentals of engineering. Up until a few years ago, I was one of the people who didn’t understand what it was at all, and still now I am trying to better my understanding.

I think because there is such a wide variety of engineering types, that it can be difficult to pin down a solid explanation. The best way that I can describe it is that engineers use a combination of math and different sciences to design and build new technologies. I think that the best way to explain this, especially to younger kids, is that engineers problem-solve. They take an issue and figure out a solution using science and math.

What do you like doing in your free time?

In my free time, I love reading and could honestly sit and just read for hours. I also have been trying to get better at crocheting since I learned during the pandemic when there was nothing else to do. Lastly, like most teenagers, I love to hang out with friends and watch movies/TV.

What are your career aspirations?

I am unsure of what exactly I want to do for a career; however, I do want to study environmental science and sustainability at college. Hopefully, through that I can discover some other career options that spark my interest; however, currently I am looking at careers in policy or with working with businesses to better their sustainability standards.

What person or people inspire you and in what way?

My mom is a huge inspiration to me. She works in a male-dominated work space but doesn’t let that affect her, as she makes sure to get the same respect from everyone. That is a huge inspiration to me because most STEM work fields currently are dominated by men, so no matter what STEM career I go into, I will likely be in a similar experience.

My mom is also a big inspiration for me because one of her core values is kindness. I think that one of the main things that is missing from the world currently is empathy and kindness. And ever since I was little, she has always taught me that you should always try to make someone’s day, even if it is just smiling at a stranger in the store. Lastly, my mom inspires me because of her love for learning. That is another thing that I have picked up from her, but she is always trying to not only better herself, she also just likes to learn about all sorts of things.