There is no doubt about it; the future lies within the wide area of knowledge known as STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math jobs. Research money, scholarships, and interest continue to rise on an annual basis for the program. STEM is quickly becoming the root of American industry and wealth. However, with this new field come some inherent biases that are being combatted at both global and local levels. For example, women account for about half of the jobs in the US economy, yet hold only 25% of jobs in STEM fields. In addition to this, minorities in the US also hold a disproportionately low percent of STEM jobs. One member of the Wilmington Friends School community, Hannah Kushner ’17, has taken tremendous leaps to fight against these issues that are hurting this field with otherwise incredible potential.

Hannah has recently won a scholarship through the Society of Women Engineers. This non-profit group seeks to support and promote women who are seeking engineering and leadership positions around the country. One of their main ways of achieving this is by handing out scholarships to a variety of quality applicants that embody their mission statement. Kushner was one of three Delaware girls to win this award, and they were honored for it at the Delaware Engineering Society’s annual banquet. This incredible achievement was the result of all of the hard work Hannah has put in during her High School career. She commented, “In my application I told them [Women’s Engineering Society] about some of the initiatives I’ve taken on the robotics team, such as organizing lego robotics mentoring at the Boys and Girls club last year, teaching a Finch robotics lesson to 5/6th grade ASP the year before, and planning the upcoming QUEST Women in STEM lunch and learn. The scholarship goes towards an ABET accredited school of my choosing, and I intend to study environmental or civil engineering. Besides my robotics involvement, I also emphasized academic achievement and an emphasis on being well rounded and on teaching the next generation.” Hannah has worked incredibly hard to get underprivileged kids involved in the STEM fields, ran a robotics team, and promoted women’s involvement in these fields. Her dedication has not gone unnoticed by anyone, and is a high bar for those following her in years to come. Margaret Sullivan ’17 has also played a prominent role in the STEM areas at WFS, and she had nothing but praise for her colleague Hannah. Sullivan explained, “Hannah is an awesome person to work with, she is great at both doing the work as well as teaching it to others. She has been so important to the robotics program. In regards to STEM, the goal of our project (Women in STEM) is to encourage incoming freshman and sophomore girls to join STEM related clubs. We have noticed that very few girls join robotics and other STEM clubs and we really want to change that.”

Both Hannah and Margaret are potentially changing girls lives forever, as they introduce them into a field they would otherwise turn away from. Hannah’s commitment to learning, teaching, and creating is something that Friends school strives to bring out in every student. We all look forward to seeing what Hannah will do in the future. Congratulations again!

STEM information: http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/womeninstemagaptoinnovation8311.pdf