WAUSAU – An eighth-grader at Odyssey Virtual Academy has been named a finalist in a STEM video contest organized by the Spirit of St. Louis Airshow and STEM Expo.
Lily Schaefer’s entry, a commercial promoting aerospace welding as a STEM career field, has garnered attention for its innovative approach and evident passion for the industry, the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 640 said in a news release.
As a Cadet 2nd Lt. in the Stevens Point Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, Schaefer, 14, of Wausau is actively engaged in leadership roles and various aerospace activities.
She is set to travel to the St. Louis Airshow in June along with her mother and two younger sisters, where the semi-finalists will receive a flight on a historic DC3. The contest finalists and grand prize winners will be announced during a private banquet before the airshow, where they will have the honor of meeting the Blue Angels pilots and their team. The finalists will receive tickets to the airshow, meet-and-greets, and a second private banquet with the Blue Angels team.
“I’m so excited to have gotten this incredible opportunity,” Schaefer said in the news release. “Meeting the Blue Angels’ whole team is just amazing!”
In a time when the United States faces a shortage of skilled professionals in aviation and other STEM-related fields, initiatives like the STEM video contest are crucial for inspiring the next generation of talent.
According to the National Association of Manufacturing, millions of STEM jobs are projected to go unfilled by 2025 because of the lack of highly skilled candidates.
Schaefer’s journey into the world of STEM began nearly two years ago when she took up welding at Wausau’s Learn Build Fly. Her video showcases her welding skills alongside footage of the nonprofit’s aircraft builds, backed by her own voiceover expressing her enthusiasm for the industry.
The Spirit of St. Louis Airshow will take place on June 8 and 9 in Chesterfield, Missouri.
For more information, visit www.spirit-airshow.com.
