On March 19, 2025, IGNITE Students from Asa Mercer International Middle School and Muckleshoot Tribal School visited Stoke Space for an exciting IGNITE Field Trip packed with hands-on learning and STEM career inspiration.
The visit began with a guided tour of Stoke’s rocket factory, led by Kristen Russell, VP of Marketing and Communications, Ann Kerker, Director of Human Resources, and Jake Larkin, Payload Engineer. Students explored the facility through a scavenger hunt, got to see the manufacturing floor in action, and even had the chance to touch materials used in building rockets.
After the tour, the students enjoyed lunch while participating in a panel discussion and Q&A session with Panelists Diana Saha, Senior Software Engineer, McKenzie Kinzbach, Manufacturing Engineer, and Lekha Duvvoori, Avionics Engineer, facilitated by Kelly Hennig, Chief Operating Officer. The students were highly engaged and asked thoughtful questions such as: What is your advice if someone wants to start their own business? Is there any astrophysics involved in planning your missions? Do you offer internships? How much metal do you use to make the rocket? What is your favorite part of your job? What was your biggest mistake? What made you want to work for Stoke? What are some of your hobbies? Can you tell us about a time you made a mistake at work? What is your advice if I think I’m not good at math or science?
Panelists shared valuable insights and encouragement, emphasizing that a math or science degree isn’t the only path into STEM. They advised students to get involved in clubs, explore different interests, and not let fear hold them back from pursuing STEM fields.
Educators Emily Elasky, Miye Aoki-Kramer, Olivia Bentley, and Akemi Boyd noted how meaningful it was for the students to meet real engineers and hear about their journeys. As Emily put it, “All of it was great! Getting to see people doing their jobs on the manufacturing floor and hearing from women about their paths into STEM was incredibly beneficial.”
“What inspired me today was how similar the volunteers were to me at my age. It made me think I could also do something like that. My favorite thing I learned was that working in STEM can be exciting—building robots, watching explosions, etc.”
8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It made me feel more comfortable about wanting to pursue a STEM career. It showed me I’m not the only girl who wants to be part of this field. Seeing everything in the factory and hearing from the volunteers was my favorite part.”
8th Grade IGNITE Student
“The STEM professionals here were just like us when they were teens—they spent time reading, playing video games, and joining clubs. My favorite thing I learned today was that there are so many career choices.”
8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me to try things I haven’t tried before, to pursue my dreams, and to be more confident talking to people. I learned that you don’t always need a ‘work persona’—it’s okay to laugh at work!”
8th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today inspired me to believe I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I learned that if you love what you do, you’ll be great at it.”
8th Grade IGNITE Student
STUDENTS SURVEYED FOLLOWING PARTICIPATION IN THIS EVENT REPORTED...
78%
INTERESTED IN STEM
70%
KNOW MORE ABOUT STEM CAREERS & THE BENEFITS OF WORKING IN STEM
66%
FEEL MORE CONFIDENT
IN PURSUING STEM
66%
GAINED PERSPECTIVE & FEEL MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE
Additional Student Feedback:
“I enjoyed seeing how happy everyone was to be working here. It was fun to watch. I learned that this place offers internships, and I also learned more about rockets.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“The way they talked about their work made it sound fun and exciting. It made me want to study STEM in college and maybe work at Stoke in the future. My favorite thing I learned was how the rocket parts fit together—it’s cool that everything has a specific placement.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“Seeing people like me following their dreams and having fun doing it was really nice. I learned that when making models, they try to make them as light as possible.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“I loved seeing how happy people were working here. It was exciting to see all the different kinds of people in STEM. I especially liked learning about the variety of jobs and that there are even work dogs!” – 8th Grade IGNITE Students
“It inspired me when they explained how aerospace and mechanical engineering work. My favorite thing I learned was what aluminum stainless steel looks and feels like.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to learn more about what people in STEM actually do. My favorite thing I learned was how complex it is to build a spaceship.” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It helped me explore STEM in more depth and showed me new aspects of the field. My favorite thing I learned was how different fields work together. Thank you to all the volunteers!” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to look into how rockets work and the process behind everything. It also encouraged me to try new things 🙂 My favorite thing I learned was EVERYTHING!” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me to see that STEM is both interesting and fun. I also learned what kind of work I could do here. There’s so much machinery, and it’s all very complicated and time-consuming—but also fascinating. Thank you for letting us be here!” – 8th Grade IGNITE Student
Thank you to our IGNITE Volunteers and Educators:
- Kristen Russell
- Ann Kerker
- Jake Larkin
- Kelly Hennig
- Diana Saha
- McKenzie Kinzbach
- Lekha Duvvoori
- Emily Elasky
- Miye Aoki-Kramer
- Olivia Bentley
- Akemi Boyd
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.