Education through Passionate Eyes by Ava Grace Poole

Developing Passions from the Beginning

pooleavagrace — 2025-08-19 00:58:59 UTC

Throughout grade school, I always loved getting to help in the classroom and be the class runner and teachers' helper. Attending a school that my mom worked at let me become closer to the teachers and staff making school feel like a second home. To this day, I visit and help out these teachers with their classrooms each summer before the next school year starts. These opportunities have shaped me to be the caring, helpful, and passionate person I am.

What brought me to love STEM?

pooleavagrace — 2025-08-19 01:35:53 UTC

Throughout grade school I have always loved math and science courses. When I was in eighth grade my mom got an email inviting me to join the Project Lead the Way pathway at the high school I was going to attend. Me being extremely hesitate but decided I would give it a try. After taking the course, I fell in love with the thought of engineering, the design process, and the idea of helping others through construction projects and land development. I continued taking these classes and decided to take an internship in bridge design with some random projects mixed in. I loved pretty much everything that was involved with the beginning and ending of major projects throughout my hometown. Who would have thought that one pathway would result in me finding my absolute love for STEM.

Continuing my Passions but Fulfilling My Dreams

pooleavagrace — 2025-08-19 01:36:03 UTC

Traveling 9.5 hours from home to obtain a college degree felt like a huge change in my life. After coming to Arkansas for school, my eyes were opened to a whole other field of wants and dreams but also continuing to fulfill the things that fill up my bucket. When originally deciding that I was going to come to the U of A, I had made the decision that I was going to continue my path in STEM and study Civil Engineering. Through my time at the University of Arkansas, I have recently made the switch to continue filling up my bucket with the things I love. I am passionate about helping future generations and the generations that are still in the workplace. With that being said, I have been finding my place through working for the Department of Transportation. While also leading students by being a resident assistant in the dorms and a peer mentor in the college of engineering. After I graduate, I plan on finding my place in teaching while also continuing my experience at the DOT.