Congratulations to 2023 Tri-Cities and Wenatchee Area FWEE STEM Career Academy Graduates
37 high school students spent the week of June 19th traversing the contours of clean energy and career opportunities. Visit this photo album to see students seizing each day as engaged, focused and thoughtful explorers of the future.
Academies were hosted in the Tri-Cities and Wenatchee by local utilities, educators, innovators, natural resource managers, and research scientists. Activities included producing your own hydropower, racing solar cars, engaging with linemen and scientists, building a hydrogen fueled car, flying drones, and more.
“Talking about diversity, equity and inclusion is one thing,” said FWEE Executive Director Andy Dunau. “But making it happen requires building meaningful bridges and relationships that allow kids to see outside the confines of their daily routines.”
Sponsors and partners did this by not only recruiting students from all corners of the community, but providing hands-on activities that captured their imaginations about what could be. Said one student, “This showed me more career options than I had ever really thought about in a new light.”
Students built on their experiences by engaging with professionals and technical staff researching and delivering clean energy and natural resource management. By the end of the week, educators and others helped students link what career options they found most exciting with the educational pathways needed to get there. That could be pursuing a four-year college degree, attending community college and/or applying to an apprenticeship program.
For one student, the journey led to wanting “…to become a hydro mechanic because you get to work with lots of cool tools …” For another, it was about becoming open to “different types of engineering because engineering is my dream career.”