Author: Isabel Peralta, freshman, Galena High School
Hi! I am Isabel Peralta, and I’m a young student with an interest in computer science and engineering. I am a freshman at Galena High School, and am enrolled in the STEM academy. I hope to work in the field of Aerospace Engineering, and I have a very strong interest in robotics. I also really like computer programming which will be very useful in both fields.
In the summer of 2014, the year I was going into middle school, I took a computer programming class that included Karel the Robot from NCLab. I really enjoyed it, and this was my first step into realizing how far I could go with computer science and engineering. Later I had the opportunity to become an assistant instructor for NCLab, teaching coding and 3D modeling to younger children. I frequently was an assistant instructor in summer, winter and spring break camps with NCLab.
My favorite part about this amazing opportunity was being able to help and encourage younger children to learn these important skills. These skills are useful not only in this day and time, but they are essential knowledge for many careers. I believe that through my teaching experience with NCLab, I was able to truly take in the information I already knew, and learn to be a better leader.
Being a Hispanic girl interested in STEM fields, I strongly encourage girls and women, and people of every background and ethnicity to pursue science and engineering if it’s their interest. Although it’s considered a difficult field, never lose or miss an opportunity to follow it, because it’s a fascinating study, and hard work definitely pays off.
In my free time I play the viola, run, ski, and doodle!