Student says FSU Young Scholars, HSCA and Lake Sumter AA helped launch mechanical engineering plans

A student in the district's video said math has always been their favorite subject and that a summer at Florida State University's Young Scholars STEM program helped them fall in love with mechanical engineering after building a robot intended to assist in natural-disaster response.

"My group and I actually worked on this project where we drew out the plans for and we made a robot actually, and that's what made me fall in love with mechanical engineering," the student said. They said they are enrolled in the Health Science Collegiate Academy (HSCA) on the STEM track and attend Lake Sumter full time during junior and senior year to graduate with an AA degree before transferring to a four-year university.

The student said they plan to attend UCF or UF and would like to work designing theme-park rides. The account describes academic choices and dual-enrollment as ways the student is accelerating prerequisites and gaining college experience while in high school.