Centaurus student returns to his elementary school to inspire the next generation of engineers

Walking the halls of his former elementary school, Escuela Bilingüe Pioneer, brought back memories instantly for Alejandro Ruiz.

“I remember specific smells, like specific locations,” he said with a laugh. “It’s crazy how long it’s been since I’ve been here.”

But Ruiz didn’t return just to relive memories.

The Centaurus High School junior came back with a mission: to help inspire the next generation of young engineers through an after-school STEM Club he helped launch at his alma mater. What started as an idea during his sophomore year has now grown into a thriving program which will enter its third year, next fall.

“When I started sophomore year, I kind of realized, like, hey, there’s not a lot of Latino kids in the engineering program,” Ruiz explained. “So I figured, hey, I went to an elementary school that had a bunch of Latinos, so maybe we can teach them some fun activities, maybe possibly influence them to join Centaurus and possibly the engineering program for the future.”

Ruiz first brought the idea to his mother, a counselor at Centaurus, before working with Centaurus Engineering Coordinator Catherine Barnes and others to turn the concept into reality. After months of conversations, emails and planning, the club officially launched.

Now, every Wednesday for five weeks each semester, Pioneer students stay after school for the STEM Maker Club, an opportunity to explore engineering concepts through hands-on activities and mentorship from Centaurus students and community partners. The day we visited in March, a representative from Sphero had brought robots for students to work with. The club has also benefited from an Impact on Education grant, which makes it possible to bring in support from the CU Discovery program.

For Ruiz, the impact goes beyond robots, coding or engineering projects.

“I think it’s a really cool experience,” he said. “Maybe some kids don’t have a computer, don’t have the money to get all these magnificent materials to just mess around with and play with, to open up your creative mind. So having the ability to just come here and do simple engineering ideas for free, too, is incredible. I wish I had that when I was their age.”

The club also gives elementary students the chance to see themselves in older students who once sat in the same classrooms.

“I had these big dreams when I was little,” Ruiz said. “I think that is the most important thing to follow up from as a young child because those dreams could come a long way.”

Today, Ruiz is studying civil engineering at Centaurus and exploring possible careers in architecture, engineering and design.

“I think just the creativity of it,” he said of engineering. “Having the ability to essentially make or learn new things related to building. It’s incredibly fascinating to learn about things that you probably wouldn’t even think once of in your day-to-day life.”

During a recent session, students experimented, solved problems and learned the foundations of engineering design by asking questions, testing ideas and improving their creations.

“If any of you ever want to be engineers, know that you’re already doing it right now,” one mentor told the students. “You’re already building cool things, and you could build whatever you want in the future.”

Ruiz is interested in possibly expanding the program to across BVSD, but for now is focused on the students gathered around tables every Wednesday afternoon — students who may already be imagining futures of their own.

In many ways, Ruiz sees himself in them.

And in a few years time, one of those students may very well find themselves returning to Pioneer too — ready to inspire the next generation.