September 4, 2024 • 24 mins
In this episode of the College and Career Ready podcast, we sit down with Sophia, a high school senior from Turner College and Career High School in Pearland, TX.
Sophia shares her inspiring journey of discovering her passion in STEM during her junior year. Like many students, Sophia wasn’t always sure what she wanted to pursue, despite trying various activities like sports, arts, and writing. It wasn’t until she took a CAD course at Alvin Community College that she found her true calling in engineering and robotics.
Throughout this episode, Sophia discusses the challenges and uncertainties she faced while searching for her passion. She also shares valuable insights on the importance of exploring different interests, developing soft skills, and the role of perseverance in finding one’s true path. Her story is a powerful reminder that the journey to discovering your passion is just as important as the destination.
Key Takeaways:
- The importance of exploring various interests to find your true passion.
- How taking a CAD course led Sophia to discover her love for engineering and robotics.
- The value of soft skills, mentorship, and not focusing solely on GPA in personal and professional growth.
- Encouragement for students who are unsure about their future paths.
Resources Mentioned:
- Alvin Community College CAD
- Robotics Clubs and STEM Programs
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"Stay well, be present, and enjoy the journey"
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sofia (00:00):
Hi, I'm Sofia and you're listening to the College and
(00:02):
Career Ready Podcast.
Sonia (00:03):
Hi, Sophia.
Sofia (00:05):
Hi, Miss Sonia.
Welcome
Sonia (00:06):
to the College Junkie Ready podcast.
Sofia (00:08):
Podcast.
Hi, for having me.
I'm super excited you're
Sonia (00:10):
excited you're here today.
And to, for our audience, Iwanted to share with them that I
have known you for many, manyyears.
You're a family friend and nowI've been able to help and
support you as one of mycoaching students.
So thank you for being here andwe're gonna just dive right into
your um, career journey and youreducation journey.
Are you ready for that?
Sofia (00:30):
ready for that?
Yes,
Sonia (00:32):
Awesome.
Well, first and foremost, Iwanted you to share with our
audience, especially ourstudents in.
a little bit about your journey.
So, over the years that I'veknown you, I know that you've
been exploring
Sofia (00:45):
been
Sonia (00:46):
different interests and different paths.
I'm assuming mom and dad hasbeen like, try this, try that.
Sofia (00:52):
Yeah, they they've put me in everything from soccer, to
tennis, to piano, to dance, uh,arts, and finally we reached
robotics.
Sonia (01:03):
Oh my goodness, well we're going to get into that in
just a minute, but why don't youtell our audience, um, what
grade level you're in, and alittle bit about yourself.
Sofia (01:11):
bit about yourself.
Hi, so I'm Sophia, I am goinginto 12th grade, and I go to
Turner College and Career HighSchool.
Sonia (01:19):
Career High
Sofia (01:20):
I am very much in love with STEM, specifically, I love
robotics, um, and that's alittle bit about me.
Sonia (01:29):
bit about me.
so, for a long time.
it was really discouragingbecause I never found
Sofia (01:44):
So, for a long time it was really discouraging because
I never found anything that Iwas truly passionate about.
Um, I did a lot of things.
I did anything from, like I saidearlier, I did everything from
dance, I did tap, ballet, jazz,to art.
I did all sorts of art.
I did digital art, I didpainting, I did sketching, I did
(02:07):
portrait drawing, um, I did oilpainting, I did everything.
And then we also had, um, I didjournalism for a long time.
Uh, I did a lot of writing, Idid creative writing, I went to
UIL for it, I did competitionsfor it, but I didn't love it.
And I never understood why Icouldn't find anything that I,
like, loved.
(02:27):
Until I, like, went, my mom onesummer told me, there's this
course, it's an engineeringcourse, over the summer, in
Alvin Community College, sinceyou are a dual credit student,
And you have all A's in all yourclasses.
You can go for free.
Sonia (02:42):
for free.
And
Sofia (02:43):
it was a CAD course.
Sonia (02:45):
I didn't
Sofia (02:46):
I didn't know what CAD was, but my mom, I was like, at
the time I was like, I don'twant to do anything engineering
because I know I won't like it.
Tell our
Sonia (02:53):
like it.
tell our audience what a CADcourse
Sofia (02:55):
CAD! Okay, so Computer, uh, Computer Assisted Design.
Um,
Sonia (03:00):
is a
Sofia (03:01):
is a type of 3D modeling, digitally.
It's like, uh, online Legos, butyou make the Legos from scratch.
And then you put all the piecestogether to build these cool and
incredible things.
And I have done a bunch of CADcertifications now.
I'm finishing the Onshapepathway, um, and I fell in love
(03:24):
with it.
Sonia (03:25):
it.
Sofia (03:25):
Like, headfirst, I found that it was something I truly
love because I get to use theartsy side of me
Sonia (03:31):
the
Sofia (03:32):
designs and creates new ideas and solutions for issues
that we're facing in the realworld and then I get to actually
make them in real life.
So, that is something I fell inlove with.
I think that, uh, It reallychanged my perspective on
engineering, because I alwaysthought engineering was just a
(03:54):
bunch of programming, a bunch ofcoding, a bunch of, like, it
changed my perspective onrobotics.
I used to think robotics wasjust coding and programming, and
I had tried programming and I'mnot, I don't love it.
I don't love coding.
I don't love programming.
Sonia (04:08):
then I found
Sofia (04:09):
then I found out that there's this, like, whole other
side.
robotics is, so many different,like, faces.
Sonia (04:15):
different,
Sofia (04:15):
There's everything from, like, robotics with 3D design,
to robotics with electrical, tomachinery, to woodworking, and
it just, there's so much to it.
I fell in love with it.
Sonia (04:29):
I love it.
I love it.
Because You started off sayingthat you had this this
creativity in you, right?
And so obviously what mostpeople think is art and design,
right?
I
Sofia (04:40):
I've tried painting, I've tried, I like, I like doing it,
but it just, it's so tediousIt's to me that I don't enjoy it
the way I enjoy 3D design,because it feels like I'm making
something and it's not gettingme anywhere, it's just something
I made.
So Yeah,
Sonia (04:56):
so it's applying your creativity, but in a different
fashion.
Sofia (04:58):
Yes, it's applying my creativity, but I get to see the
results of my creativity to makethese real life solutions,
things that impact my community,things that impact my team, and
things that can one day impactmy family.
Sonia (05:11):
I love that you're sharing this.
Because one of the things that Ishare with my students, um, that
I coach is finding a career thatinterest them, that inspires
them.
So not just the, the skills and,and, you know, being able to
perform the job, or beingknowledgeable in the job, but
Sofia (05:27):
knowledgeable
Sonia (05:28):
actually going towards a mission, or something that just
drives you, that would exciteyou to go every day to work.
Sofia (05:35):
to go every day to work.
Yeah, so I actually found thatrecently.
so I was talking to my friend, areally close friend of mine, and
he told me that, like, he had noidea what he wanted to do in the
future.
And I, we started talking, andthen I slowly realized, after I
held a summer camp for girls inSTEM, for young girls, I taught
them about different power toolsand machinery, as well as
(05:57):
different STEM subjects.
Sonia (05:59):
about
Sofia (05:59):
And after
Sonia (06:01):
as
Sofia (06:01):
I did that, I realized I love teaching kids.
Sonia (06:05):
I
Sofia (06:05):
So, my solution to that would be to start a robotics
team, an FRC team, FIRSTRobotics Competition, which is
what FRC stands for.
Sonia (06:13):
in
Sofia (06:13):
For kids in low income situations, because, a lot of my
family comes from lower income.
so it, and I've seen a lot ofclose family friends come from,
like, lower income, uh, when we,I'm an immigrant, so when we
came to America, we didn't havemuch.
Sonia (06:29):
I want to give that opportunity to
Sofia (06:32):
I want to give that opportunity to kids who are in
lower income to, uh,
Sonia (06:37):
in the
Sofia (06:38):
To be able to experience STEM in the way I experienced it
and develop a passion for it inthe way I developed a passion
for it.
And I want to see them grow andflourish and really, like,
Sonia (06:50):
like, I
Sofia (06:51):
I want to see them really develop their talents and skills
and grow into a person who is asuccessful professional.
Sonia (07:01):
I love that.
I love that because this visionis bigger than you.
Like, It's just something thatyou're not just focusing on what
you're going to achieve, it'swhat you're going to achieve for
the world and for
Sofia (07:13):
what you're going to achieve, it's what you're going
to achieve for the world and forothers.
Can really make a difference inthe way you continue with your
pathway and like the way youform your goals and shape what
(07:35):
you want to do in the future.
So for me that was not only myparents who did inspire me very
much my dad's an engineer and heHe is one of my biggest
inspirations And I look up tohim so much but also my robotics
mentors, um, their names aremiss cara and Uh coach andrew
And coach is our, he's the leadcoach for the robotics team.
(07:59):
And then Miss Kara leads theinitiatives for the robotics
team, which I'm heavily involvedwith.
She helped me plan the summercamp for the girls.
I'm so thankful to her, but whenI see them make this remarkable,
incredible change in so manypeople and influence so many
kids to pursue their passion andgive them the ability to.
(08:21):
Develop these skills and reallyexperience what first is.
Sonia (08:26):
look
Sofia (08:26):
I look at them and I am so enamored with the idea.
It's
Sonia (08:30):
incredible to see it
Sofia (08:32):
So incredible to see it happen and to be a part of it
Sonia (08:36):
I wouldn't change
Sofia (08:37):
I wouldn't change that for anything
Sonia (08:40):
me a little a little bit about what you've shared with
me, uh, off camera.
Off, um, off air about some ofthe advice that those teachers
shared with
Sofia (08:49):
Yes, so actually part they were they also shared with
me this advice Coach and Ms.
Kara,
Sonia (08:54):
along with
Sofia (08:55):
uh, along with my CTE teachers at school.
Uh, I'll say their names, Ms.
Hooper, Mr.
Tulati.
They all shared with me theadvice that my GPA isn't the end
all, be all.
Sonia (09:08):
to focus on developing
Sofia (09:11):
need to focus on developing those skills in life.
Any Um, making connections withpeople and really creating
myself into, or like, shapingmyself into a professional who
has, who's worth their
Sonia (09:26):
that make sense?
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah,
Sofia (09:30):
And, is this advice
Sonia (09:31):
is this advice that you would, well, let me back up.
Share with our audience what aCTE teacher is.
Sofia (09:36):
Yeah, so, um, Career Technical Education, uh, is a
career oriented and careerfocused, program that focuses a
lot more on skills that you willuse in your everyday career life
than the technical, uh,classroom skills like the math
skills you learn or the biologylike you learn.
(09:57):
And while those skills areincredibly important, I am a
hard believer that these CTEcourses teach you the soft
skills you need to be asuccessful professional.
And it's really sad because mostof these CTE courses are 4.
0s, meaning that a lot of kidswho are involved in the GPA game
don't take these courses.
Sonia (10:15):
take those
Sofia (10:16):
And while they may have a really high GPA and get into a
really good college, they takethat mindset with them into
college and they only focus ontheir grades.
They don't go into clubs or intosocieties or make friends or
talk to their teachers and thatprevents them from connecting,
(10:37):
creating these connections thatare so important.
And it also prevents them fromum, gaining experience, real
life experience, whichinternships are so incredibly
important because of that.
Um, but,
Sonia (10:51):
that's why
Sofia (10:52):
That's why I feel that CTE courses are really, really,
really important to any kid whois going into high school and
looking to go into theworkforce, going into a four
year university, or going intocollege.
Because those soft skills willget them through college and
make them a
Sonia (11:09):
make them
Sofia (11:10):
successful professional.
And
Sonia (11:19):
that I tell our audience that it's so essential to make
those connections, real worldskills, character development,
soft skills, no matter whetheryou're going to a community
college, a technicalcertification, or you're going
to a four year program, or evena master's program, you need
these skills as early on in youreducation journey.
Sofia (11:39):
journey.
Yes, these skills, I'm soincredibly thankful, again, Mr.
Tolati, Ms.
Hooper, so much.
Coach Andrew, Miss Cara, I'm so,so incredibly thankful to them
because they have showed me thatthe GPA is important, but it
isn't everything.
You can't put all your eggs intoone basket.
You can't solely focus on yourGPA because then you miss out on
(12:04):
these real life experiences andthese real skills that are
needed when you actually go intothe workforce.
Absolutely, and
Sonia (12:10):
And I would love to one day get to meet these teachers.
Because they sound amazing.
Sofia (12:15):
am sure they would like to meet you too.
Oh
Sonia (12:17):
my goodness.
And, okay, so, um, to giveeveryone context, when did you
take your first robotics, coursethat you took at, the community
college?
Sofia (12:27):
So, I took that in the summer of twenty, uh, I could be
mistaken, but summer of 2022.
2022?
For
Sonia (12:34):
Was it sophomore or junior
Sofia (12:35):
Sophomore summer.
Sonia (12:37):
Going into sophomore.
year.
Okay.
So, that's
Sofia (12:40):
So, sophomore year, I took My first engineering course
with one of my favoriteteachers, Dr.
Myers, who also advocates forthis all the time.
He always states that, he wentto Rice, actually, but he's a
hard advocate.
He's a CTE teacher.
He's a hard advocate for softskills, and he said I wouldn't
have gotten into Rice withoutthose connections, without those
skills, without thoseexperiences.
Sonia (13:02):
skills, without those experiences.
Okay, beautiful.
And so you took that in yoursophomore year.
When, and I, feel though, thatin this last year, maybe last
couple of months, everythingjust came clear and came full
circle.
Is that correct?
Sofia (13:16):
right.
So, I joined robotics.
Later than many other people,uh, I joined my first season was
last season.
I was a little bit involved theseason before that, but I wasn't
dedicated.
Last season I dedicated myselfand I led an initiative in
robotics that is for women inSTEM and an initiative is
basically a program we create,um, that connects girls with
(13:41):
other girls in STEM so that theyfeel that they have a support
system that they feel, they feelunderstood.
In STEM, because we are aminority.
so I led that with another, uh,with another friend of mine on
the robotics team.
She's great, she's amazing, shehas more experience than me, and
she has helped me so much.
really, seeing
Sonia (14:02):
and working
Sofia (14:04):
getting to work on the robot, like, having a team and
working towards a common goal.
Sonia (14:08):
hmm.
Sofia (14:09):
And seeing people change and learn and really evolve into
a better engineer
Sonia (14:16):
me.
I love
Sofia (14:18):
is what inspired
Sonia (14:19):
to work
Sofia (14:20):
to work with the kids, with mentoring them, that
inspired me.
Getting to work at the daycamps, the summer camps, getting
to plan my own summer camp,getting to mentor kids at their
schools.
It's, I have never experiencedanything so rewarding than for a
(14:41):
kid to come up to me and belike,
Sonia (14:43):
be
Sofia (14:44):
I love STEM
Sonia (14:45):
STEM.
Sofia (14:46):
I, you taught me so much, thank you.
Or it,
Sonia (14:49):
as rewarding
Sofia (14:50):
there's nothing as rewarding as that, to say that I
was able to inspire someone topursue a passion, something that
I'm so passionate about,something that I love so dearly.
And
Sonia (15:01):
love so dearly.
And,
Sofia (15:03):
That inspiration, I wouldn't have found it without
my mentors or without myteachers.
Because they work every day toinspire people.
Sonia (15:12):
they're not giving up, because I'm assuming that in
those times when you would trysomething, try something else,
and It wouldn't work out, thatfeeling must have been
Sofia (15:22):
was, it, I deeply feel for anyone who went through that
because It's so discouraging.
It's discouraging to try and tryand try new things every year,
not being able to find acommunity that you relate to,
not being able to find somethingthat sparks that passion in you,
Sonia (15:39):
going.
And
Sofia (15:40):
and to just have to keep going.
And it's so discouraging.
But I promise that just, Even ifyou don't think you'll like it,
try it.
Keep trying because You willnever know when you find
something.
I did not think I would likerobotics and I Love it so much.
It's my entire life I work on itall the time everything from I
(16:01):
worked on it last night Like Iwas writing grants for my team
and for smaller teams.
I was i'm helping teams writegrants and
Sonia (16:09):
write grants.
And
Sofia (16:10):
It takes time and it takes effort to keep trying and
it's hard.
It, it will get, you will bediscouraged, unmotivated because
you can't find what you'rereally passionate about.
But once you find it, it'ssomething that is completely
different and it's so worth itbecause you get to spend the
rest of your life pursuing itand when you find what does
spark your passion, it's just acompletely different feeling.
Sonia (16:33):
Absolutely.
And For our audience, you don't,you can't see her, but I can
tell you that I've known Sophiafor many years and the spark in
her eyes, the joy, theexcitement, um, when she talks
about it, I can see, I can seethe passion, so we, we couldn't
even describe in words what,what that feeling is, but you'll
(16:53):
know, you'll know.
when it, You, get it.
Sofia (16:55):
I just want, I'll tell the audience, I, really hope
these words reach you, becausebeing able to
Sonia (17:01):
what you
Sofia (17:02):
do what you love for the rest of your life is a feeling
that I've never experiencedbefore, until now.
Sonia (17:08):
until
Sofia (17:09):
I reached robotics, and I reached STEM, and reaching that
point where I'm able to inspiresomeone to pursue what they love
and able to inspire someone topursue the passion I have, I'm,
I'm in love with it.
Sonia (17:22):
I love it.
Sofia (17:23):
and I promise if you keep trying, you will find it
eventually.
You will find that passion, youwill find what makes your heart
beat.
Sonia (17:30):
thump.
Yeah.
Sofia (17:31):
Like, thump, and makes you, like, makes the adrenaline
go up and makes you happy andsmile, and you never want to
stop doing it.
Sonia (17:38):
Absolutely.
It's just not to give up.
keep trying, And, just buildyourself up, surround yourself
by the community.
by People, because they're theones who are going to be able to
open doors that you might nothave even thought of.
Sofia (17:51):
of.
Sonia (17:51):
So, um, for our audience, why don't you give So I'm going
to give you a couple of top tipsthat you can think of, for
students who are in high schoolor in college, that they're
still like, I haven't found thatpassion.
So
Sofia (18:03):
So, my first tip I would give you, don't give up.
Keep trying new things.
You never know what you're gonnafind.
Sometimes it might not be whatyou expected, but once you find
it it changes your perspectiveon your career and your life.
Sonia (18:16):
my second
Sofia (18:17):
And my second tip would be
Sonia (18:20):
but they're
Sofia (18:21):
care about your grades, but they're not the end all be
all.
Sonia (18:25):
those
Sofia (18:25):
You need to develop those soft skills and you need to
develop those connections andexperiences to really move on to
the next level of your life, tothe next level of your career
and to the next level ofyourself as a professional.
Sonia (18:39):
as
Sofia (18:39):
Because those are the experiences that develop a
successful person, and Those arethe experiences that develop a
successful professional.
Sonia (18:48):
Yeah, I love it.
And you know, um, you are ourfirst high school student to be
on our podcast, so
Sofia (18:54):
I'm
Sonia (19:00):
I wish you nothing but the best.
We'll still be working togetherin your pursuit of entering
college next year, and I can'twait to see all the experiences
that you're going to have inyour college years.
so thank you so much for beinghere with us.
Sofia (19:11):
with us.
Yes, so much for having me.
I hope that these words reachyou well, and I hope that you
continue searching or pursuingyour passion.
Sonia (19:20):
Thank you so much.
Hi, I'm Sofia and you're listening to the College and
(00:02):
Career Ready Podcast.
Sonia (00:03):
Hi, Sophia.
Sofia (00:05):
Hi, Miss Sonia.
Welcome
Sonia (00:06):
to the College Junkie Ready podcast.
Sofia (00:08):
Podcast.
Hi, for having me.
I'm super excited you're
Sonia (00:10):
excited you're here today.
And to, for our audience, Iwanted to share with them that I
have known you for many, manyyears.
You're a family friend and nowI've been able to help and
support you as one of mycoaching students.
So thank you for being here andwe're gonna just dive right into
your um, career journey and youreducation journey.
Are you ready for that?
Sofia (00:30):
ready for that?
Yes,
Sonia (00:32):
Awesome.
Well, first and foremost, Iwanted you to share with our
audience, especially ourstudents in.
a little bit about your journey.
So, over the years that I'veknown you, I know that you've
been exploring
Sofia (00:45):
been
Sonia (00:46):
different interests and different paths.
I'm assuming mom and dad hasbeen like, try this, try that.
Sofia (00:52):
Yeah, they they've put me in everything from soccer, to
tennis, to piano, to dance, uh,arts, and finally we reached
robotics.
Sonia (01:03):
Oh my goodness, well we're going to get into that in
just a minute, but why don't youtell our audience, um, what
grade level you're in, and alittle bit about yourself.
Sofia (01:11):
bit about yourself.
Hi, so I'm Sophia, I am goinginto 12th grade, and I go to
Turner College and Career HighSchool.
Sonia (01:19):
Career High
Sofia (01:20):
I am very much in love with STEM, specifically, I love
robotics, um, and that's alittle bit about me.
Sonia (01:29):
bit about me.
so, for a long time.
it was really discouragingbecause I never found
Sofia (01:44):
So, for a long time it was really discouraging because
I never found anything that Iwas truly passionate about.
Um, I did a lot of things.
I did anything from, like I saidearlier, I did everything from
dance, I did tap, ballet, jazz,to art.
I did all sorts of art.
I did digital art, I didpainting, I did sketching, I did
(02:07):
portrait drawing, um, I did oilpainting, I did everything.
And then we also had, um, I didjournalism for a long time.
Uh, I did a lot of writing, Idid creative writing, I went to
UIL for it, I did competitionsfor it, but I didn't love it.
And I never understood why Icouldn't find anything that I,
like, loved.
(02:27):
Until I, like, went, my mom onesummer told me, there's this
course, it's an engineeringcourse, over the summer, in
Alvin Community College, sinceyou are a dual credit student,
And you have all A's in all yourclasses.
You can go for free.
Sonia (02:42):
for free.
And
Sofia (02:43):
it was a CAD course.
Sonia (02:45):
I didn't
Sofia (02:46):
I didn't know what CAD was, but my mom, I was like, at
the time I was like, I don'twant to do anything engineering
because I know I won't like it.
Tell our
Sonia (02:53):
like it.
tell our audience what a CADcourse
Sofia (02:55):
CAD! Okay, so Computer, uh, Computer Assisted Design.
Um,
Sonia (03:00):
is a
Sofia (03:01):
is a type of 3D modeling, digitally.
It's like, uh, online Legos, butyou make the Legos from scratch.
And then you put all the piecestogether to build these cool and
incredible things.
And I have done a bunch of CADcertifications now.
I'm finishing the Onshapepathway, um, and I fell in love
(03:24):
with it.
Sonia (03:25):
it.
Sofia (03:25):
Like, headfirst, I found that it was something I truly
love because I get to use theartsy side of me
Sonia (03:31):
the
Sofia (03:32):
designs and creates new ideas and solutions for issues
that we're facing in the realworld and then I get to actually
make them in real life.
So, that is something I fell inlove with.
I think that, uh, It reallychanged my perspective on
engineering, because I alwaysthought engineering was just a
(03:54):
bunch of programming, a bunch ofcoding, a bunch of, like, it
changed my perspective onrobotics.
I used to think robotics wasjust coding and programming, and
I had tried programming and I'mnot, I don't love it.
I don't love coding.
I don't love programming.
Sonia (04:08):
then I found
Sofia (04:09):
then I found out that there's this, like, whole other
side.
robotics is, so many different,like, faces.
Sonia (04:15):
different,
Sofia (04:15):
There's everything from, like, robotics with 3D design,
to robotics with electrical, tomachinery, to woodworking, and
it just, there's so much to it.
I fell in love with it.
Sonia (04:29):
I love it.
I love it.
Because You started off sayingthat you had this this
creativity in you, right?
And so obviously what mostpeople think is art and design,
right?
I
Sofia (04:40):
I've tried painting, I've tried, I like, I like doing it,
but it just, it's so tediousIt's to me that I don't enjoy it
the way I enjoy 3D design,because it feels like I'm making
something and it's not gettingme anywhere, it's just something
I made.
So Yeah,
Sonia (04:56):
so it's applying your creativity, but in a different
fashion.
Sofia (04:58):
Yes, it's applying my creativity, but I get to see the
results of my creativity to makethese real life solutions,
things that impact my community,things that impact my team, and
things that can one day impactmy family.
Sonia (05:11):
I love that you're sharing this.
Because one of the things that Ishare with my students, um, that
I coach is finding a career thatinterest them, that inspires
them.
So not just the, the skills and,and, you know, being able to
perform the job, or beingknowledgeable in the job, but
Sofia (05:27):
knowledgeable
Sonia (05:28):
actually going towards a mission, or something that just
drives you, that would exciteyou to go every day to work.
Sofia (05:35):
to go every day to work.
Yeah, so I actually found thatrecently.
so I was talking to my friend, areally close friend of mine, and
he told me that, like, he had noidea what he wanted to do in the
future.
And I, we started talking, andthen I slowly realized, after I
held a summer camp for girls inSTEM, for young girls, I taught
them about different power toolsand machinery, as well as
(05:57):
different STEM subjects.
Sonia (05:59):
about
Sofia (05:59):
And after
Sonia (06:01):
as
Sofia (06:01):
I did that, I realized I love teaching kids.
Sonia (06:05):
I
Sofia (06:05):
So, my solution to that would be to start a robotics
team, an FRC team, FIRSTRobotics Competition, which is
what FRC stands for.
Sonia (06:13):
in
Sofia (06:13):
For kids in low income situations, because, a lot of my
family comes from lower income.
so it, and I've seen a lot ofclose family friends come from,
like, lower income, uh, when we,I'm an immigrant, so when we
came to America, we didn't havemuch.
Sonia (06:29):
I want to give that opportunity to
Sofia (06:32):
I want to give that opportunity to kids who are in
lower income to, uh,
Sonia (06:37):
in the
Sofia (06:38):
To be able to experience STEM in the way I experienced it
and develop a passion for it inthe way I developed a passion
for it.
And I want to see them grow andflourish and really, like,
Sonia (06:50):
like, I
Sofia (06:51):
I want to see them really develop their talents and skills
and grow into a person who is asuccessful professional.
Sonia (07:01):
I love that.
I love that because this visionis bigger than you.
Like, It's just something thatyou're not just focusing on what
you're going to achieve, it'swhat you're going to achieve for
the world and for
Sofia (07:13):
what you're going to achieve, it's what you're going
to achieve for the world and forothers.
Can really make a difference inthe way you continue with your
pathway and like the way youform your goals and shape what
(07:35):
you want to do in the future.
So for me that was not only myparents who did inspire me very
much my dad's an engineer and heHe is one of my biggest
inspirations And I look up tohim so much but also my robotics
mentors, um, their names aremiss cara and Uh coach andrew
And coach is our, he's the leadcoach for the robotics team.
(07:59):
And then Miss Kara leads theinitiatives for the robotics
team, which I'm heavily involvedwith.
She helped me plan the summercamp for the girls.
I'm so thankful to her, but whenI see them make this remarkable,
incredible change in so manypeople and influence so many
kids to pursue their passion andgive them the ability to.
(08:21):
Develop these skills and reallyexperience what first is.
Sonia (08:26):
look
Sofia (08:26):
I look at them and I am so enamored with the idea.
It's
Sonia (08:30):
incredible to see it
Sofia (08:32):
So incredible to see it happen and to be a part of it
Sonia (08:36):
I wouldn't change
Sofia (08:37):
I wouldn't change that for anything
Sonia (08:40):
me a little a little bit about what you've shared with
me, uh, off camera.
Off, um, off air about some ofthe advice that those teachers
shared with
Sofia (08:49):
Yes, so actually part they were they also shared with
me this advice Coach and Ms.
Kara,
Sonia (08:54):
along with
Sofia (08:55):
uh, along with my CTE teachers at school.
Uh, I'll say their names, Ms.
Hooper, Mr.
Tulati.
They all shared with me theadvice that my GPA isn't the end
all, be all.
Sonia (09:08):
to focus on developing
Sofia (09:11):
need to focus on developing those skills in life.
Any Um, making connections withpeople and really creating
myself into, or like, shapingmyself into a professional who
has, who's worth their
Sonia (09:26):
that make sense?
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah,
Sofia (09:30):
And, is this advice
Sonia (09:31):
is this advice that you would, well, let me back up.
Share with our audience what aCTE teacher is.
Sofia (09:36):
Yeah, so, um, Career Technical Education, uh, is a
career oriented and careerfocused, program that focuses a
lot more on skills that you willuse in your everyday career life
than the technical, uh,classroom skills like the math
skills you learn or the biologylike you learn.
(09:57):
And while those skills areincredibly important, I am a
hard believer that these CTEcourses teach you the soft
skills you need to be asuccessful professional.
And it's really sad because mostof these CTE courses are 4.
0s, meaning that a lot of kidswho are involved in the GPA game
don't take these courses.
Sonia (10:15):
take those
Sofia (10:16):
And while they may have a really high GPA and get into a
really good college, they takethat mindset with them into
college and they only focus ontheir grades.
They don't go into clubs or intosocieties or make friends or
talk to their teachers and thatprevents them from connecting,
(10:37):
creating these connections thatare so important.
And it also prevents them fromum, gaining experience, real
life experience, whichinternships are so incredibly
important because of that.
Um, but,
Sonia (10:51):
that's why
Sofia (10:52):
That's why I feel that CTE courses are really, really,
really important to any kid whois going into high school and
looking to go into theworkforce, going into a four
year university, or going intocollege.
Because those soft skills willget them through college and
make them a
Sonia (11:09):
make them
Sofia (11:10):
successful professional.
And
Sonia (11:19):
that I tell our audience that it's so essential to make
those connections, real worldskills, character development,
soft skills, no matter whetheryou're going to a community
college, a technicalcertification, or you're going
to a four year program, or evena master's program, you need
these skills as early on in youreducation journey.
Sofia (11:39):
journey.
Yes, these skills, I'm soincredibly thankful, again, Mr.
Tolati, Ms.
Hooper, so much.
Coach Andrew, Miss Cara, I'm so,so incredibly thankful to them
because they have showed me thatthe GPA is important, but it
isn't everything.
You can't put all your eggs intoone basket.
You can't solely focus on yourGPA because then you miss out on
(12:04):
these real life experiences andthese real skills that are
needed when you actually go intothe workforce.
Absolutely, and
Sonia (12:10):
And I would love to one day get to meet these teachers.
Because they sound amazing.
Sofia (12:15):
am sure they would like to meet you too.
Oh
Sonia (12:17):
my goodness.
And, okay, so, um, to giveeveryone context, when did you
take your first robotics, coursethat you took at, the community
college?
Sofia (12:27):
So, I took that in the summer of twenty, uh, I could be
mistaken, but summer of 2022.
2022?
For
Sonia (12:34):
Was it sophomore or junior
Sofia (12:35):
Sophomore summer.
Sonia (12:37):
Going into sophomore.
year.
Okay.
So, that's
Sofia (12:40):
So, sophomore year, I took My first engineering course
with one of my favoriteteachers, Dr.
Myers, who also advocates forthis all the time.
He always states that, he wentto Rice, actually, but he's a
hard advocate.
He's a CTE teacher.
He's a hard advocate for softskills, and he said I wouldn't
have gotten into Rice withoutthose connections, without those
skills, without thoseexperiences.
Sonia (13:02):
skills, without those experiences.
Okay, beautiful.
And so you took that in yoursophomore year.
When, and I, feel though, thatin this last year, maybe last
couple of months, everythingjust came clear and came full
circle.
Is that correct?
Sofia (13:16):
right.
So, I joined robotics.
Later than many other people,uh, I joined my first season was
last season.
I was a little bit involved theseason before that, but I wasn't
dedicated.
Last season I dedicated myselfand I led an initiative in
robotics that is for women inSTEM and an initiative is
basically a program we create,um, that connects girls with
(13:41):
other girls in STEM so that theyfeel that they have a support
system that they feel, they feelunderstood.
In STEM, because we are aminority.
so I led that with another, uh,with another friend of mine on
the robotics team.
She's great, she's amazing, shehas more experience than me, and
she has helped me so much.
really, seeing
Sonia (14:02):
and working
Sofia (14:04):
getting to work on the robot, like, having a team and
working towards a common goal.
Sonia (14:08):
hmm.
Sofia (14:09):
And seeing people change and learn and really evolve into
a better engineer
Sonia (14:16):
me.
I love
Sofia (14:18):
is what inspired
Sonia (14:19):
to work
Sofia (14:20):
to work with the kids, with mentoring them, that
inspired me.
Getting to work at the daycamps, the summer camps, getting
to plan my own summer camp,getting to mentor kids at their
schools.
It's, I have never experiencedanything so rewarding than for a
(14:41):
kid to come up to me and belike,
Sonia (14:43):
be
Sofia (14:44):
I love STEM
Sonia (14:45):
STEM.
Sofia (14:46):
I, you taught me so much, thank you.
Or it,
Sonia (14:49):
as rewarding
Sofia (14:50):
there's nothing as rewarding as that, to say that I
was able to inspire someone topursue a passion, something that
I'm so passionate about,something that I love so dearly.
And
Sonia (15:01):
love so dearly.
And,
Sofia (15:03):
That inspiration, I wouldn't have found it without
my mentors or without myteachers.
Because they work every day toinspire people.
Sonia (15:12):
they're not giving up, because I'm assuming that in
those times when you would trysomething, try something else,
and It wouldn't work out, thatfeeling must have been
Sofia (15:22):
was, it, I deeply feel for anyone who went through that
because It's so discouraging.
It's discouraging to try and tryand try new things every year,
not being able to find acommunity that you relate to,
not being able to find somethingthat sparks that passion in you,
Sonia (15:39):
going.
And
Sofia (15:40):
and to just have to keep going.
And it's so discouraging.
But I promise that just, Even ifyou don't think you'll like it,
try it.
Keep trying because You willnever know when you find
something.
I did not think I would likerobotics and I Love it so much.
It's my entire life I work on itall the time everything from I
(16:01):
worked on it last night Like Iwas writing grants for my team
and for smaller teams.
I was i'm helping teams writegrants and
Sonia (16:09):
write grants.
And
Sofia (16:10):
It takes time and it takes effort to keep trying and
it's hard.
It, it will get, you will bediscouraged, unmotivated because
you can't find what you'rereally passionate about.
But once you find it, it'ssomething that is completely
different and it's so worth itbecause you get to spend the
rest of your life pursuing itand when you find what does
spark your passion, it's just acompletely different feeling.
Sonia (16:33):
Absolutely.
And For our audience, you don't,you can't see her, but I can
tell you that I've known Sophiafor many years and the spark in
her eyes, the joy, theexcitement, um, when she talks
about it, I can see, I can seethe passion, so we, we couldn't
even describe in words what,what that feeling is, but you'll
(16:53):
know, you'll know.
when it, You, get it.
Sofia (16:55):
I just want, I'll tell the audience, I, really hope
these words reach you, becausebeing able to
Sonia (17:01):
what you
Sofia (17:02):
do what you love for the rest of your life is a feeling
that I've never experiencedbefore, until now.
Sonia (17:08):
until
Sofia (17:09):
I reached robotics, and I reached STEM, and reaching that
point where I'm able to inspiresomeone to pursue what they love
and able to inspire someone topursue the passion I have, I'm,
I'm in love with it.
Sonia (17:22):
I love it.
Sofia (17:23):
and I promise if you keep trying, you will find it
eventually.
You will find that passion, youwill find what makes your heart
beat.
Sonia (17:30):
thump.
Yeah.
Sofia (17:31):
Like, thump, and makes you, like, makes the adrenaline
go up and makes you happy andsmile, and you never want to
stop doing it.
Sonia (17:38):
Absolutely.
It's just not to give up.
keep trying, And, just buildyourself up, surround yourself
by the community.
by People, because they're theones who are going to be able to
open doors that you might nothave even thought of.
Sofia (17:51):
of.
Sonia (17:51):
So, um, for our audience, why don't you give So I'm going
to give you a couple of top tipsthat you can think of, for
students who are in high schoolor in college, that they're
still like, I haven't found thatpassion.
So
Sofia (18:03):
So, my first tip I would give you, don't give up.
Keep trying new things.
You never know what you're gonnafind.
Sometimes it might not be whatyou expected, but once you find
it it changes your perspectiveon your career and your life.
Sonia (18:16):
my second
Sofia (18:17):
And my second tip would be
Sonia (18:20):
but they're
Sofia (18:21):
care about your grades, but they're not the end all be
all.
Sonia (18:25):
those
Sofia (18:25):
You need to develop those soft skills and you need to
develop those connections andexperiences to really move on to
the next level of your life, tothe next level of your career
and to the next level ofyourself as a professional.
Sonia (18:39):
as
Sofia (18:39):
Because those are the experiences that develop a
successful person, and Those arethe experiences that develop a
successful professional.
Sonia (18:48):
Yeah, I love it.
And you know, um, you are ourfirst high school student to be
on our podcast, so
Sofia (18:54):
I'm
Sonia (19:00):
I wish you nothing but the best.
We'll still be working togetherin your pursuit of entering
college next year, and I can'twait to see all the experiences
that you're going to have inyour college years.
so thank you so much for beinghere with us.
Sofia (19:11):
with us.
Yes, so much for having me.
I hope that these words reachyou well, and I hope that you
continue searching or pursuingyour passion.
Sonia (19:20):
Thank you so much.
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