On May 1, 2024, students from Renton High School went on an IGNITE Field Trip to Stryker for an engaging and informative experience that featured a diverse lineup of STEM professionals. With 24 students from grades 9-12, this event aimed to provide an inside look into Stryker’s innovative facilities and medical technology.
The day was packed with interactive activities and insightful sessions that left a lasting impression on the students. Upon arrival, students were greeted by Debbie Burgess, who set the welcoming tone for the day. The adventure began with a hands-on challenge where students built structures using uncooked spaghetti and marshmallows. Led by Sophie Francis, Samantha Vernier, Katie Hays, Maya Staples, and Phil Chase, this activity took place in Stryker’s concept lab, highlighting the creative engineering processes. Students discussed their design choices before testing their structures on a drop test fixture, capturing the action with a high-speed camera. This provided a fun yet practical demonstration of engineering principles and problem-solving.
In another exciting part of the day, students received an introduction to CPR and AED training. Guided by Jessica Vestal, the students practiced chest compressions and learned how to use an AED trainer in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario. This session not only provided essential life-saving skills but also illustrated the clinical side of Stryker’s work, demonstrating the real-world applications of medical technology.
The students finished the day with a panel discussion that featured inspiring stories and advice from Shalini Majumdar, Claudia Galantino, and Rose Yin. Students were eager to ask questions about college experiences, managing academic challenges, and navigating careers in STEM as women. The Panelists shared valuable insights on funding a college education and choosing the right majors, creating a motivating environment for aspiring students.
We extend our thanks to Alison Williams for leading and facilitating this event, and to our Panelists Shalini Majumdar, Claudia Galantino, and Rose Yin for sharing their inspiring journeys. Special thanks to Jessica Vestal for facilitating the panel, and to Debbie Burgess for guiding the students. We also appreciate Sophie Francis, Samantha Vernier, Katie Hays, Maya Staples, and Phil Chase for their engaging activity leadership, and Zach Lustyk for the insightful tour. Our thanks also goes to Brooke McDonald for capturing the day’s memorable moments and special thanks to Educators Cindy Martinez and Debbie Currie for their invaluable support for their students and the IGNITE Program.
After attending this event:
87%
of students are interested in STEM
87%
of students know more about STEM career choices and the benefits of working in a STEM field
80%
of students feel more confident in pursuing STEM
85%
of students gained perspective and feel more hopeful about the future
Here’s what the students thought of the event:
“This opportunity allowed me to experience new things. I absolutely loved the activities. Thank you!” – 10th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today inspired me to study more in healthcare and other careers. I learned how to do CPR.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“It was a great explanation of each thing they do. I learned a lot; it wasn’t the way I thought it was going to be. CPR was a great thing to learn. I had heard about it but hadn’t practiced it before.” – 10th Grade IGNITE Student
“I feel more confident as a woman going into STEM. I liked learning about 3D machines.” – 12th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today definitely helped me see that there’s more in the engineering field and gave me ideas about what majors to apply for. Learning CPR and realizing there are many ways in engineering.” – 12th Grade IGNITE Student
“I love how passionate the volunteers were about pursuing their careers. I learned about everybody’s career.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“By seeing so many women in this STEM field, I feel confident in pursuing a STEM career and planning out my school year. My favorite thing today was the labs we went to and learning how to do CPR and how AED packs work.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s lesson inspired me to really try new things. I loved learning about the technology and making the building was very fun!” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me by showing how different careers in STEM work and how they’re developed. It inspired me to branch out more on what I could do in the future. I learned about how defibrillators work.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me by showing me how different things work and how everything is developed and worked on. I learned how AEDs are made.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“Before, I was very scared about my future, like what am I going to do, but after hearing they didn’t really know either, it makes me feel better. I liked learning about the women and the jobs.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“It went very well; I had a lot of fun. It helped me decide what I wanted to do in the future. Learning CPR was fun because I had seen people do it, and it looks fun to do.” – 10th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to pursue what I want to do. My favorite thing that we did today was eat and watch our towers break.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“I got to learn about the different paths you can take with a medical engineering degree, which I want to do, and more about the requirements of a medical engineering degree. I learned about the 3D printers and the testing process. I loved working with my group on making the tower.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me not to worry about where I’m going to end up. It also inspired me to feel stronger about pursuing a job in STEM. My favorite thing I learned was watching the process of making the machines.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“The explanations they gave made it interesting and fascinating how their jobs were. I loved how their careers and majors were all different but blended into one building and one purpose. My favorite thing was to learn CPR because I want to pursue something in the medical field, and it helped me know how to save someone’s life if needed.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“It made me feel calm and okay that I like doing a lot of things. It’s okay to be unsure, and it also helped me with what to do financially when I get to college. The college talks were about what I can do to earn money. It also helped me open up more to looking into STEM. I like to do a lot of things and just recently started looking at STEM.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“I liked how the staff worked together. It inspired me to want to pursue STEM maybe in the future. I learned how to do CPR.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“It taught me to be diligent in looking for job fields where fewer women are working. My favorite part of the entire day was learning how to start CPR and going through the manufacturing process.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me how comfortable and welcoming everyone was and how well the team worked together. My favorite thing I learned today was how they create their products and the types of equipment along with its history.” – 9th Grade IGNITE Student
“I’m thinking of doing STEM again. My favorite thing was the CPR.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“I was inspired by how people talked about their lives and pursuing their dreams. My favorite thing was the CPR.” – 10th Grade IGNITE Student
“Honestly, I always thought engineering was just math, and I am not really good at math, but learning about how it is about making things and art changed my mind. I loved everything we did since it was fun and interesting.” – 10th Grade IGNITE Student
About Stryker:
Stryker is a global leader in medical technologies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. The company offers innovative products and services in MedSurg, Neurotechnology, Orthopaedics and Spine that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 150 million patients annually.
About IGNITE Program Field Trip Events:
IGNITE Field Trips offer a memorable, behind-the-scenes look at STEM in action and the wide range of career opportunities at the host company. Company employees interact directly with the students through an office tour, hands-on STEM activities, and IGNITE Panel and Q&A discussion.
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 www.igniteworldwide.org.
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