Since February, I have been the co-student leader of the Innovation Lab, which has opened a more comprehensive array of possibilities and activities to work on and enjoy. I am also planning for future projects involving the robotics team, such as summer school activities for the local community, to ‘give back’ some of the knowledge and opportunities I have been given, as well as planning future competitions and expansions to the iLab itself.
I have earned certifications, such as being an Arduino certified programmer and designer, which I can use to help me with future endeavors at university, or even future job prospects.
I’m obviously not alone in the iLab, though, and the whole community around it is also something to take note of: we’re not a massive group by any means, but we are all passionate about the material. We all have our respective fields of interest and preferences. Our tight-knit community and team unite our diverse expertise so that we can collaborate on whatever we believe is an exciting project. We also broaden each other’s horizons by teaching each other skills that not everyone knows, such as programming languages and computer skills. Our collaborations allow us to further develop our abilities in drawing and even public speaking.
All in all, the iLab has been an absolutely fantastic experience from the day I stepped in, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where it will lead the whole community and me next.
Valerio Pepe is also a St. Stephen’s School Student Ambassador.