Student Spotlight: Matthew Yanez

In response to the question of “What did you do last summer?,” Matthew Yanez can deliver a unique answer: The Plymouth Whitemarsh High School 11th-grader and his teammates won $650 for their idea to redevelop a brownfield site in Norristown.

The competition he participated in was part of Exelon Foundation Boys to STEM Academy, which took place the first week of August at St. Joseph’s University. The academy offered students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math fields the chance to work together to solve real-world challenges and learn from Exelon employees. 

Part of the experience was to focus on urban redevelopment by identifying a brownfield site, which is an area that is undeveloped or unused due to suspected contamination or environmental concerns. Teams made up of area high school students were challenged to find one in the local region and come up with a plan to redevelop it or repurpose it so it would benefit the surrounding community.

“My group researched our site in Norristown and developed a mixed-use community center. At the end of the week, we presented our idea to a panel of Exelon executives and explained why our redevelopment plan would be beneficial and sustainable for the community. In addition to our presentation, we had a model of what the building would look like once the project was completed,” he said. 

Matthew said he found out about the academy through engineering teacher Jim Muscarella, and was able to use the skills he’s picked up through Mr. Muscarella’s classes to problem-solve, present, and work on a team.

“Engineering classes here also helped me think about problems from different perspectives and develop the project/design report,” he said. “I also had to communicate my ideas clearly and work with my group to turn several different ideas into one final proposal.”

He got a little assistance on his proposal from social studies teacher Jill Ajemian. Matthew asked for her help reviewing his project proposal, and Ms. Ajemian helped point out areas where she felt the team needed to provide more details and depth. 

Matthew’s team found out it had won during the closing ceremony, which Matthew said was exciting. But the monetary prize, which was evenly split between the team members, wasn’t the only thing he took away from the experience.

“A program like this provides a lot more than just hands-on experience. I was able to meet so many new people and build relationships with professionals in the field I want to go into,” he said.