Walk organized by Southeast High student to benefit engineering program at Bashaw Elementary

MANATEE -- A Southeast High School junior pursuing a career in engineering wants to make sure students as young as kindergarten can explore different engineering career fields, an option she didn't have until middle school.

On Saturday, Merritt Kendzior is hoping a walk at Bashaw Elementary School will help raise funds for the engineering portion of the school's STEAM initiative, which stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

"One of the things I noticed is they have an art and musical festival, which benefits their music and arts programs," she said. "They don't really have anything to benefit their engineering program."

Kendzior, a former Bashaw student, said she got involved in engineering through extracurricular activities offered in middle school, including TSA and F1 in Schools. Those extracurricular activities, coupled with a wider variety of class choices in middle and high school, have helped Kendzior decide to pursue a career in engineering after high school.

When Bashaw took on the STEAM initiative, Kendzior got involved right away, she said. She still lives close to the school and has family members who work there and was excited about the changes. Kendzior was involved in helping design a new logo showing off the

new initiative but said she wanted to do more. In January, she sat down with leadership at the school and came up with the idea for the walk.

"I've been to other walks like this. A lot of people really come out and show their support," she said.

Money raised on Saturday will help purchase basic power tools and LEGO sets that help kids start building and brainstorming, Kendzior said.

Participants will pay a $10 fee for the walk, and additional donations are welcome.

The walk will take place at Bashaw, 3515 Morgan Johnson Road, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday.

For more information on the walk, email fullsteamaheadwalk@gmail.com.

Meghin Delaney, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081. Follow her on Twitter @MeghinDelaney.

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 11:23 PM with the headline "Walk organized by Southeast High student to benefit engineering program at Bashaw Elementary ."