valcollage_SM“My interest in technology and my ardent passion for creating has been growing ever since I was a child. When my parents purchased my 1st set of LEGO’s I spent the majority of my free time constructing a variety of creations. At the age of seven, I received a spot in the LEGO catalog for my creation of an airplane…. This was no ordinary airplane. I used an old toothbrush motor and a battery, and incorporated it into the LEGO airplane. The motor powered a small propeller and this aspect made the airplane much more interesting to me. Later on, in high school I decided to pursue classes like Engineering and Technology, Physics, and AP Calculus, as well as work with STEM-related organizations such as Green Schools. By the end on my junior year I noticed that a majority of my interests pointed towards STEM subjects, and at the start of senior year I decided that I would most enjoy the fields of Technology and Computer Science. This is when I decided that pursuing STEM studies in college would be an ideal choice for me.