Shruti, a 12-year-old student of Class 8 at C.D. Deshmukh School Roha, lives in Varse Village with her parents and elder brother. Her father works as a labourer, while her mother manages the household. Her brother is currently studying in Class 10. Despite limited resources at home, Shruti has always shown a natural inclination towards learning and exploring new concepts.
Shruti joined the STEM Project during the academic year 2023–2024 when she was in Class 7. A quiet and shy child, she often kept to herself but displayed a deep love for reading, especially books in both Hindi and Marathi. Her interest in learning became even more visible during STEM sessions, where she paid close attention, asked questions without hesitation, and independently handled the models introduced in class. This curiosity and focus helped her engage more actively in hands-on activities.
Her creativity and confidence grew when she participated in the science exhibition of 2023–2024, where she built an air-pressure rocket model. The following year, as an eighth-grader, Shruti took on a more advanced concept and created a fully functional hydraulic brake model for the 2024–2025 science exhibition. She confidently demonstrated how hydraulic brakes work using simple materials such as injections, a plastic bowl, motor, battery, pipe, switch, cardboard, and wheels. She also explained its practical applications in everyday life, showcasing not just understanding but an engineer-like mindset.
The impact of the STEM project on Shruti is clearly visible. She has developed a strong interest in engineering and now shows greater confidence in explaining scientific concepts. Her STEM assessment scores reflect remarkable growth, improving from a baseline total of 14 to 28 in Midline-1 and further to 31 in Midline-2. Her progress across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrates her increasing understanding, skill, and enthusiasm.
Shruti’s journey highlights how exposure to hands-on learning, supportive guidance, and opportunities to create can transform a shy learner into a confident young innovator. Her growing passion for engineering stands as an inspiring example of how STEM education can shape a child’s future.