One monumental STEM conversation occurred with a male student while
retrieving the balloons. When Borchardt and March walked across the landing site to reach Balloon 2, the students ran up ahead awaiting their return. The author stayed on the
road in front of the school bus, when one male student started talking about how he
wanted to study astronomy in the future and wanted advice regarding prerequisite classes.
The student expressed how he felt intimidated to take advanced math, yet dreamed to
study the cosmos. It was thrilling to learn that this thesis project was benefitting at least
one student. The student was informed that he did not have to be the brightest student in
the grade to study something he loved. Hard work, passion for the subject, and good
study ethics would help him succeed.