By Audrey Seymour
Meet Cali, a tenth-grade student with a passion for creativity, community, and STEM. Through her long-time involvement in Project Scientist, Cali has explored everything from marine biology to business math, all while gaining confidence, making lasting connections, and discovering where her future might lead. In this interview, Cali shares how her journey with Project Scientist has shaped her interests, inspired her career goals, and helped her grow both socially and academically.
Can you tell us your name, pronouns, what grade you are in?
I'm Cali and I use she/her pronouns! I'm in 10th grade but I am homeschooled.
What inspired you to join Project Scientist?
I started Project Scientist when I was in second grade and then I’ve kind of just been doing it since. All the programs they have are super fun, but I originally started it for their marine biology program that they did that year, and I was super excited about it. Then I just kept coming back.
Have you discovered new STEM topics or careers through Project Scientist? If so, which ones?
A lot of math based ones, especially accounting and finance have really caught my eye. Those are all kind of what I'm looking into going into now for careers, especially when applying to colleges. That's what I'm kind of looking for is accounting and stuff.
What has been the most exciting or memorable part of your experience?
Trying to think, there was a lot of fun stuff that happened. Probably when we did, the cow eye dissections, even though it was very gross. It was very fun even though it was online and stuff. All the girls were off mute when we were all giggling and talking and it was super cool. Also, just learning about how we as people see, and how animals see stuff. They're so similar to a human eye. So it was very cool doing that and learning about that type of stuff.
How has the Scholars program helped you feel more confident in other areas of your life?
Probably the social aspect of it. I reach out to a lot of girls and stuff. I was texting with one of the girls yesterday. I've never been a very social person but when I'm in Project Scientist, I feel like I can actually get out there and speak and like voice, my opinion and stuff, and no one judges you. Everyone's very welcoming. So it's very good for my social aspect. Also, like the educational aspect, I would go into school the next year after summer and I would already know a lot of the stuff because Project Scientist had taught it to me and had the hands-on activity for it.
Can you describe any new connections you've made—whether with peers or role models—through Project Scientist? How did those connections impact you?
For scholars, Miss Robin and Miss Fredrica, they're amazing teachers. I can reach out to them on basically anything if I need to, so that's very nice. Our most recent person that we had come in to speak was very sweet. She gave us her email and everything. So even like the presenters and stuff, they reach out to you, and you can reach out to them and ask questions. We had a very open conversation about mental health and everything, and that was really good. Then with other students we all kind of connected.
What challenges, if any, do you face in finding STEM opportunities outside of Project Scientist?
A lot of them are male based. So there's not a huge female group, especially the local high school does stuff where the homeschool kids can join, like the Robotics Club. I think 80% of it is male and then 20% of it is female. I'm kind of like, that's not very fun. You want all sorts of genders in there, and everyone to be feeling like they belong. It's not very fun when it's just aimed towards one gender. They're trying not to, but it still feels that way.
How has your view of STEM careers changed since joining Project Scientist?
It showed me that stem careers are very, very important. Especially when we look over certain careers that people kind of were like, “Oh, we don't need people to do that, we have AI now.” You need people to go in and research certain topics and actually break it down and understand it. You can't just always expect someone to have the right answer or artificial intelligence to automatically get it and stuff like that so I guess that would kind of be my answer.
Are there any skills or knowledge you’ve learned through the program that you’ve used in other parts of your life?
I'd say almost all aspects. So I don't know how to explain it, especially the technology part. I use that a lot. The mathematics part is really good, too, especially for business math and geometry and stuff for me. I think that has also really helped with my grades like going through classes and lessons. They kind of do random equations and stuff during it, so that's kind of nice.
What advice would you give to other students thinking about joining Project Scientist or a similar program?
Definitely do it! Just because you're nervous, or if social anxiety gets the better of you. I found that for a group, pick a group that you feel like you're gonna be most comfortable with. Stick with it if it works for you, and if it doesn't, you can always leave. You don't have to feel stuck. But Project Scientist is great because, like I said, you can be open with anyone, and it's just very welcoming. Everyone's always so excited to meet everyone.
What do you like doing for fun?
I like to paint! I like skiing, swimming. A lot of art stuff, such as origami, painting, sculpting, ceramics, pottery, that type of stuff. Basically, that's it. That's what I like to do in my free time.
From dissecting cow eyes to discussing mental health with mentors, Cali’s experiences with Project Scientist show just how impactful hands-on learning and supportive communities can be. As she looks ahead to college and a future in accounting or finance, she carries with her not just knowledge, but a sense of belonging and empowerment.