Birmingham High School senior recognized for her efforts in and out of school
The international STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice Convening was recently held in Cleveland, Ohio with the theme of “Living STEM: Communities at the Heart.” Women have played a critical role in Living and Leading STEM in communities around the world. On October 21, 2019, women who have made important contributions to living STEM across all STEM Learning Ecosystems were honored at Cleveland’s Rock-n-Roll Hall of fame. Ironic, because Grace Shenefelt is a STEM ROCKSTAR ! Grace is the recipient of Girls Living STEM Award – a rare, yet well-deserved honor.
Grace Shenefelt is a Senior at Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Michigan. Grace not only embodies a STEM culture but embraces the ever changing STEM landscape across the Southeast Michigan STEM Alliance Ecosystem. Her instructor, Doug Baltz, has had many dialogues with Grace on the symbiotic relationship between the STEM talent pipeline, workforce development for the future, and her role as a young female engineering student. Hence, the most impressive attribute that Grace embodies is one of STEM stewardship within our Ecosystem. Not only is she the president of Seaholm’s STEM Leadership Academy, but she is also in charge of the FIRST robotics outreach efforts for BPS. Committing 100% effort to the Super STEM Saturday Enrichment programs for 3rd/4th graders, leading "make and take" stations at Birmingham community STEM events, volunteering at many events at the Cranbrook Institute of Science, and raising money for DAPCEP, a non-profit organization that provides kids in the Detroit area with access to STEM. Grace is currently working/mentoring with staff at the middle and elementary schools in her district to start FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology). As a result, students will be prepared to participate in FIRST and get excited about STEAM from as young as 6 years old. Grace said, “When I was a Freshman I was the only female on the robotics team. I persevered and now I’m the captain. It’s important for me to be a role model for younger girls and to remind them to never give up.”
Additionally, Grace drives the team’s outreach efforts with programs for Girl Scouts, Seaholm LINKS, and several community organizations. Grace has inspired three elementary and one middle school principals to start FLL and FTC teams in our district. She is organizing training for these new teams and their leaders to take place this spring in preparation for the 2019/2020 season.
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