#STEMbassador Senior Spotlight: Lynelle Clervil

Lynelle Clervil, DHS Senior and STEM Ambassador, helping a second grader embellish her die-cut paper design in the Delran Innovation & Fabrication Lab.

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

Math and science have always been my favorite subjects, further peaking my interest in the STEM field. I became a STEAM Camp counselor when I was a junior and continued into my senior year pursuing my love for kids and STEM. When I found out that the FabLab was kickstarting and Mrs, Hutchinson and Mrs. DeMichele were looking for volunteers to help, I was enthusiastic to join.

What has been your biggest learning curve in the lab?

Learning how to use the vinyl cutter was definitely my biggest learning curve. It included a lot of trials and tribulations, but once I got the hang of actually using it, it became second nature to me.

What tool do you like best and why?

My favorite tool is the heat press. When I first used it during the training in the summer, I probably made about 3 shirts and a bag. I instantly fell in love with it. In fact, during football season, I put my friends names on the backs of their shirts. It is so fun to use and customize pretty much anything.

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

I want to be a pediatrician. The medical field and the STEM field have a lot of overlaps, especially in the problem solving and determination aspect. In the lab, things don’t necessarily come easily. It isn’t as easy as the click of a button. It is a lot of trial and error and requires patience, determination, and problem solving skills which is exactly what you need to be a doctor.

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

My biggest success would have to be showing the people from China around the lab and helping them make a project. It definitely was a struggle with communication but I ended up getting past it and helped them with many projects. It was so fun and empowering to see how happy they were when they succeeded in making their projects.

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

I am most proud of showing the teachers from the schools in the district how to use things in the Lab. I went from being a student and having them teach me skills to me being a teacher to them and showing them how to use everything in the Lab.

What are your plans for next year?

My plans for next year are to attend Rutgers University to major in biology!

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.