Hannah Bardei '21

Hannah Bardei, of Arlington, was in the Engineering Technology career major and Valedictorian for the Class of 2021. She was a Student Ambassador, a member of Girls in STEM, Student Council, National Honor Society, and the Girls Soccer Team, and a participated in Peer Leadership. Hannah received seven scholarships and is attending the University of Virginia to study biology.

Q: What do you like the most about Minuteman?

I really like how supportive the teachers are. If you need help with anything at any time, they’re absolutely there to support you.

I also really like Minuteman’s sports. I was the captain of the girls’ soccer team last year, and the community within sports is so supportive. All the people on the team are so much fun too. On the bus rides to the games, we all play music and have a really good time. Last year, the girls’ soccer team made both the vocational tournament and states. It was my first year on the team. That was an amazing accomplishment for us.

Q: What has it been like to study engineering?

It’s been really interesting. Last spring, we focused on digital electronics and mechanical engineering, and I was able to get credit from the Rochester Institute of Technology for that. I was also able to get an internship at Sense Lab in Cambridge, where I wrote blog posts about the engineering they do. The company has products that monitor how much energy your home appliances are using, and the blogs were also used to give you tips on how to be more energy efficient.

Q: How did you get interested in Engineering Technology and the Girls in STEM program?

My dad went to college for engineering and my grandpa is an engineer. It’s always been a part of me – problem solving.

Girls in STEM is a really good community. We’re all in different fields of science and each of our experiences is different. We held a summer camp with middle schoolers to show them how science and technology can be interesting, and encouraged them to stick with it. When you show middle school students how interesting STEM is, you begin to understand how rewarding your own experiences in STEM have been.

Q: What message do you have for younger students thinking about joining Minuteman?

Minuteman is like any other type of high school, but with a little bit extra. You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do going in. Through the Freshman Exploratory program, you have a few months to go through everything and figure it out. If you have a question about a (Career Technical Education) shop, every single shop teacher is there to answer your questions for you.