#STEMbassador Senior Spotlight: Brooke Hennegan

Brooke Hennegan, DHS Senior and STEM Ambassador, shows off the personalized shirt she made in the Delran Innovation & Fabrication Lab.

What made you want to become a STEM Ambassador in the first place?

Helping out with STEAM camp during the summers, going to all the fun trips to Lockheed and Stockton and RCBC, being invited to represent the student body when creating the lab....these are just a few of the reasons why I wanted to become a STEM Ambassador aside from the fact that I love the field itself.

What has been your biggest learning curve in the lab?

Learning to use the new machines!!!! I’ve never been a super techie person but learning how to operate such high end equipment has sure made me feel like I could do anything :)

What tool do you like best and why?

I’m partial to the vinyl cutter just because of how much it can do and how it can print not just stickers but heat transfer vinyl and all. Being a person who really loves her long sleeve t-shirts- being able to make my own, for friends, events, Disney!!!, is just so incredibly cool!

How is the lab helping you see potential in your future plans for college or career?

I have decided I want to major in engineering in my future and so being in the lab and learning how to use the equipment has only helped and furthered my knowledge for when I get to college. I guarantee I’m going to have to use machines like these in college so I’ll already be a step ahead of the game!

What has been your biggest success in the lab so far?

Aside from in general learning how to use machines I never thought I would ever touch, meeting so many new people and being able to network with administrators and employees at Lockheed has really been my greatest success, I believe. It has opened up connections and possibilities for when I go to college that I didn’t think I would have going to school in the fall.

What are you most proud of from your experiences as a STEM Ambassador?

Being able to represent the school and such an incredible lab makes me so proud!!! I love everything about the program and how it’s grown and I can’t wait to watch it develop even further in the future. I am so utterly proud to even be connected to something so prestigious and impressive!

What are your plans for next year?

I haven’t committed to a specific school yet but I plan to major in engineering and probably minor in engineering management :)

Delran STEM Ambassadors are Delran High School students selected from applicants because they demonstrated a passion for STEM, and possessed outstanding communication skills. Much like an internship, STEM Ambassadors have participated in rigorous training within the Delran Innovation & Fabrication Lab space. These learning opportunities are not available to most high school students in our country, since the idea of digital fabrication has only begun to grow in the K-12 sector, to meet the needs of Workforce Development. Delran's STEM Ambassadors have experienced and now taught others in computer-aided design software in 2D and 3D, including Corel Draw, FabMakerStudio, Tinkercad, etc. STEM Ambassadors have utilized these digital design skills to fabricate on vinyl cutters, 3D printers, laser cutters and die cut machines. While teaching others, including younger students in community outreach programs, and adults in staff professional development programs, STEM Ambassadors share their expertise with others. We are certain that this platform for intelligent, relevant communication and positive interaction, will encourage our STEM Ambassadors to be at the forefront of the next generation of STEM innovators.