Sawyer Barton – 2024 Northeast Region Rising Star

young woman with blonde hair and glasses smiles at camera

Sawyer Barton

12th grade
Deer Park High School
Deer Park, WA
 
 
Sawyer is a powerhouse in her engineering class. She uses laser-cutting and other manufacturing technology to design and build projects for her community, including a homecoming trophy and a receptionist table for a local veterinary clinic.
 
 

Get to know Sawyer

How has your math identity impacted your journey in STEM?
In elementary school, I didn’t think I was the greatest at math. But then, they saw my state scores between the transition of elementary and middle school, and they actually put me into a higher-level math class. I think that’s where my love of math really started. I love having answers. I love that there is always going to be an answer – even if there isn’t an answer, you’ll always have to say there’s no answer.

Who is the teacher or mentor who sparked your interest in STEM?
The teacher that has inspired me the most is my mother. She teaches chemistry and physical science at my high school, and she used to teach biology. I think it just rubbed off on me.

What are you thinking about doing after high school and what are some of the ways you are beginning to explore potential careers?
When I was younger, I really wanted to go into computer science. But then I figured out what computer science actually was – it’s a lot of coding, and I don’t enjoy coding. I’ve always been inspired by the movie Hidden Figures. I really like and admire Katherine Johnson as a mathematician. I want to be an aerospace engineer and work on airplanes and space shuttles.

 

Engineering takes perseverance

STEM learning builds on failure. We asked Sawyer about a learning experience that didn’t go as planned, and what she learned from it.

 

Nominated for her resourcefulness

“Though [Sawyer] is from a rural town with limited local programs for high achieving students, she is highly self-motivated to learn about all topics.”

Sawyer is truly excited about learning unlike any other student that I have encountered in my 10 years at Deer Park High School. Though she is from a rural town with limited local programs for high achieving students, she is highly self-motivated to learn about all topics. When she learns about anything related to STEM, she lights up and can’t help but to enthusiastically relay that information to others around her. She desires to go to college to pursue a career in engineering, but access to programs in Deer Park is limited. She is exceptional within her engineering class this year (the only class we offer that relates to engineering) and has designed and created several projects for the community.

Sawyer excels in the field and deserves to have a light shown on her because not only is she an avid fan of all things STEM, but she is also a wonderful person with a genuine heart of gold who sincerely wants to help those around her.

—Natalie Roy, Teacher at Deer Park High School
 

 

 

The Washington STEM Rising Star Awards encourage young women and trans and nonbinary youth to embrace STEM learning in ways that will support their education, career, and community.

Meet all of the 2024 Washington STEM Rising Stars!