Meet Edyn Roper, an 18-year-old freshman at Oakwood University in Alabama, who is studying psychology. Edyn participated in GEMS for four summers and has served as a mentor for the past two! Here’s a look at her journey through GEMS and how it shaped her path!

Edyn first learned about AEOP when she was in early elementary school. As a young student, she had many interests, including food science, which stemmed from her love for baking and cooking. Her father discovered GEMS and thought it would be a great program for her to nurture her passion for science. During her time at the camp, Edyn quickly made friends and returned for three more years as a participant.

Beyond the hard science and math concepts Edyn learned, what stands out to her most are the supportive messages she consistently received from her mentors and teachers. They reminded her and her friends, “you are going above and beyond what other students are doing. Not everyone gets the chance to tackle high school and college work at such a young age, so take advantage of this special opportunity.” By design, each day presented a new challenge – a complex puzzle to solve or a unique group project with individuals she hadn’t yet interacted with.

At Oakwood, Edyn’s friend group was long-established, so GEMS offered not only a supportive exploration into STEM, but also the opportunity to meet new friends and have fresh experiences. 

This was a different experience for her, as she explained, “coming from a school that I’ve attended my entire life, I never really had to make friends or step out of my comfort zone. But GEMS pushed me to do that – it got me talking to other people, working with them and learning from them.”

Edyn credits her father and her aunt for introducing her to science and math and making her feel comfortable in these fields. Her father, an engineer, and her aunt, a former math professor, were patient teachers who offered a variety of tools and exercises to help her learn and retain STEM concepts. They also encouraged her to not compare herself to others. Her sister is another mentor in her life; she works with students and taught Edyn valuable lessons about being an educator. 

After aging out of GEMS as a student participant, Edyn was invited to return as a Near Peer Mentor – an opportunity she excitedly accepted. She loved making connections with the students and talking to them – it felt like she had just been in their shoes not too long ago. Watching the students engage with their learning and seeing their minds grow left a lasting impression on her. “It was exciting to see how excited they were about everything, because that’s how I was when I was a GEMS student!” she said.

During a weeklong GEMS session, Edyn said, you see students go from shy on Monday to hugging each other and crying by Friday when the program ends. From a mentor’s perspective, seeing how excited students became about what they were learning motivated her to ensure that she and other mentors gave their all to the programming. Reflecting on how stressful competitions were for her growing up, Edyn wanted to make sure the organizational side of things ran smoothly so she could focus on emulating the teachers who had helped her stay calm and avoid putting too much pressure on herself. “Building relationships with kids, remembering their names, their personalities, and their learning styles” allowed her to support students in the same way she had valued as a GEMS participant. 

When reflecting on what she gained most from the program, Edyn appreciated how she improved her public speaking skills and her ability to ask nuanced questions. Learning how to learn is an important part of STEM exploration, along with giving it your all! Edyn explained that she used to compare herself to others when she was younger, concerned about who was a “STEM person.” Her advice now? Don’t focus on that. You do not have to be a traditional mathematician or scientist to be a STEM person. There are so many fields to explore, and everyone in GEMS or your science class is there to learn just like you. 

Learn more about GEMS here.