Q&A with Laura Plata by Lucy Drinkwater, Providence Day School’s Institutional Advancement Fellow

Laura Plata is a sophomore at Providence Day School. Originally from Bogota, Colombia, her family moved to Charlotte in 2012. Laura came to PD as a first grader and got exposed to STEAM through Science Olympiad soon after. She started her nonprofit, STEAMinis, as an eighth-grader back in 2019.

Q: Can you tell me about STEAMinis and where the idea came from?

A: Essentially, the idea of STEAMinis began with a competition called Science Olympiad. Science Olympiad is a set of competitions that runs from elementary school through high school. I got involved in Science Olympiad from a super young age, probably the earliest you can start, and I absolutely loved the competition!

 Science Olympiad opened a new world for me by showing me that there's much more to STEAM than what meets the eye. After a few years of competitions, I noticed that my competitors were not like me; I am originally from Bogota, Colombia. None of them were Latinos or of Hispanic descent, which bothered me quite a bit. 

The lack of students from Latino or Hispanic descent rested in the back of my mind for a couple of months. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, I would see news about the digital divide and its effect on underrepresented minority populations. Providence Day has taught us that if you are curious about something or have something on your mind, do your research, so that is what I did. Because classes were online and I had more time than usual, I decided that this was the time to start my research regarding the underrepresented minority population within STEAM.

Because of my experiences and the research I conducted, STEAMinis emerged. Through STEAMinis, I provide Latino children with access and awareness to STEAM. By targeting the Latino and Hispanic communities, I hope to see more representation of this population in STEAM. At STEAMinis, I create fun workshops that tap into different aspects of STEAM to show these children that STEAM is out there, and it is fun. By creating this opportunity to experience STEAM, children gain awareness of what is out there and, if they are interested, I can help them learn more!

Q: What has been the overall effect of STEAMinis on PD and the surrounding community?

A: I started STEAMinis outside of the PD community. Now, two years after starting my non-profit, I hope to integrate it into the PD community.

 Outside of PD, most of our workshops have been virtual due to the pandemic, but we have also been able to host a few in-person workshops. We have collaborated with the Dottie Rose Foundation and Girl Scouts of America to provide virtual sessions. I have also hosted a few with the help of CMS.

Since May 2021, I have hosted about 20 workshops and worked with almost 600 students. Compared to more prominent organizations, that may not seem like a huge number, but it is only me running the operation. I could probably name almost all of the girls and boys who have attended my workshops, and I really love to build relationships with the kids with which I work.

Q: What is one of the hardest things you have had to handle through STEAMinis?

A: The obvious answer is COVID, due to the restrictions in place. Whether it is maintaining a 6-foot distance between participants or hosting virtual workshops, it is challenging, especially with the goal of having fun and giving access to minority groups. It is tough to keep young kids virtually engaged.

Being virtual is problematic for another reason too. The population of students I am working with is typically from low-income families. And to create workshops that are hands-on and keep children engaged while conducting them virtually requires finding a workshop where all necessary materials and household ingredients would be available to them. It is so easy to assume that all people have access to soap or cotton balls, but that could be a luxury to some families.

Q: Where do you see STEAMinis going in the future?

A: The main thing I want to happen with STEAMinis is to get more kids involved and have access to STEAM. They don't necessarily have to be passionate about STEAM, but I would really like them to know that it is out there. There are so many aspects that play into STEAM, and it would be great to have the ability to create more workshops that display the various aspects of this subject. So, in the future, I hope to expand the workshops further and work with specific schools to locate their STEAM challenges and integrate STEAM into their curriculum. I really want younger students to have the opportunity to learn about STEAM. 

I would also like to expand my team. Right now, I am the only one running STEAMinis, but I feel like having a team to work with will help develop this non-profit. With more team members, we could host more workshops, create a website, and show these kids all the different kinds of people that work in STEAM rather than just me. I hope I can accomplish this in the near future, maybe in the next six months!

Q: What is your favorite part about STEAMinis?

A: The relationships I have built and my connections with all of the kids are probably one of my favorite parts of STEAMinis. Seeing the spark of creativity each child has is extremely rewarding. Most of the workshops I create are conducted in both English and Spanish, not only to allow for more kids to access STEAM but also because students often feel more comfortable having the option to speak their native language. Students can see our similarities, such as Spanish as our first language, family dynamics, home countries, etc. It also furthers the connections I make with each child by building on similarities. They also can look to me as a role model and think if she can do STEAM, so can I.

I also never expected how personal my connections with these kids would be. There's a girl from the Dominican Republic, and I mentioned that I would be visiting there. She told me that I should see her grandma for her. It's moments like this that I never imagined, but I am thankful for them as well.

Q: Is there anything you weren't expecting when you first started STEAMinis?

A: I have recognized how much need there is to learn STEAM. But also, I can recognize how much people generalize the needs of minority students. People have a preconceived notion that all Hispanics or Latinos look a certain way; therefore, their needs are the same. But the problems that each child has or the needs they long for are so diverse. I hope that through STEAMinis, I can cater to these students' diverse needs and interests.

Another thing I wasn't expecting is how much I love it. I never thought I would become a teacher or work closely with kids. It kind of just happened through these workshops, and I fell in love with my work.

Q: How do you balance everything?

A: I try to stay on top of my work and get assignments completed early, but some long nights are also involved. By completing work early, I can participate in extracurricular activities after school and focus on STEAMinis when I get home.

But it's also the fact that I find joy in STEAMinis. When planning workshops or working on things for STEAMinis, I don't think of it as homework; it's not like writing an English paper or studying for a Math test. So even though it is work, per se, and I draft workshops, do outreach, write dialogues, make slides, etc., when it comes down to it, I am just thinking about how much fun these kids are going to have and the expression on their face when everything clicks. I actually enjoy the work I am preparing and completing for STEAminis, and I look forward to doing it. 

Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to other PD students who are trying to get involved or start a non-profit?

A: The number one thing that drives me is how passionate I am about STEAMinis and finding that personal connection with each child. Suppose you generalize the demographic you work with as a community or group rather than treating them as individuals. In that case, you probably will not care as much about the group you are working with, and you might not find as much joy in it. So, if you are involved with or start an organization or a business, make sure it is something you want to do for yourself. If you do it for others or to look good on a resume, you probably will not enjoy it as much as you should. So, with your non-profit or business, find that personal connection with others, find your audience, and surround yourself with those people who are just as passionate as you are.