On March 5, 2025, IGNITE Students at Oak Harbor High School participated in an in-person IGNITE Panel and breakout session featuring local professionals in STEM and public service industries.
The event began with a career panel where each Panelist—including Dawna Bennett, General Contractor, Laurrin Bates, Island County Sheriff, Martha Rose, Martha Rose Construction, Jenn Porter, Fire Department, Holly Lewis, Structural Analysis Engineer at Boeing, Catherine Council, Naval Aviator at Growler Pilot, Melissa Gehrmann, Civil Engineer at NAVFAC, Meghan “Amber” Treece, Helo Pilot at Navy SAR, Casi Myers, Design Engineer III at Crane A&E, Jodi Baral, HF Sinclair, and Alyce Henry, City of Oak Harbor, shared their career journeys, what their roles entail, and the unique paths they followed to get where they are today. In the second part of the event, students rotated through breakout groups to connect more personally with each Panelist, ask questions, and learn about different careers firsthand.
Martha Rose brought an air flow measuring device and explained how it works, sparking curiosity among students. She encouraged them to follow their dreams, try different paths, and remember that college isn’t always necessary to pursue a STEM career.
Jodi Baral reflected that students repeatedly asked her what she does all day and how she got into her field. She advised students to try new things, get involved in school, attend events like this, and stay open to opportunities. She emphasized that it’s hard to know what’s out there unless you ask questions—“you don’t know what you don’t know.”
Educator Christine Kellison noted that many Panelists shared the message that it’s okay not to know what you want to do right now. Students heard that it’s common to change career paths multiple times, and that the key is to enjoy what you do and stay curious.
Thank you to our IGNITE Volunteers and Educators:
- Dawna Bennett
- Laurrin Bates
- Martha Rose
- Jenn Porter
- Holly Lewis
- Catherine Council
- Melissa Gehrmann
- Meghan “Amber” Treece
- Casi Myers
- Jodi Baral
- Alyce Henry
- Christine Kellison
- Chris Whiteman
About IGNITE Worldwide:
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world. Learn more at igniteworldwide.org.