From Uncertainty to Opportunity:
A Journey Sparked by STEM

By the time I graduated high school, I had attended four elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools. The instability left me without a strong sense of direction or identity. I don’t remember my GPA or classes—I just remember being lucky to graduate. College wasn’t on the radar, and at 17, I was on my own with no clear path forward.

Over the next several months, I bounced between shared apartments and friends’ couches, working food service and stocking shelves—jobs that taught me resilience but offered little future. I was stuck. I needed a skill, a trade—something to anchor me. That’s when I made the decision to pursue a technical career in the military. That decision changed everything.

Fifteen months later, I became an avionics technician, diagnosing and repairing complex aircraft systems. For the first time, concepts like electronics theory and systems operations weren’t just abstract—they were real. And more than understanding them, I could apply them. That realization lit a fire in me and awakened a hunger to learn that extended beyond technical skills. I was beginning to understand how to build a future.

While I’m grateful for the structure the military gave me, it was STEM that sparked the transformation. That’s why I believe every child needs early opportunities to discover their strengths. Because once you realize what you’re good at, everything shifts. You start to see your potential reflected in the world around you…Some say follow your passion. I say, follow what you’re good at—and you’ll become passionate.— Anthony Alejandre, Vice President of Integrated Operations

As I grew into roles as a technician, inspector, and supervisor, I started seeing STEM not just in my work—but in everything: how systems connect, how processes scale, how critical thinking applies across disciplines. That lens became a mindset. I leveraged my career in aviation logistics to move into leadership roles, earn my BS and MBA, and eventually transition into K–12 edtech operations. While I’m grateful for the structure the military gave me, it was STEM that sparked the transformation.

That’s why I believe every child needs early opportunities to discover their strengths. Because once you realize what you’re good at, everything shifts. You start to see your potential reflected in the world around you. That feedback builds confidence, and confidence becomes a self-reinforcing cycle—turning knowledge into skill, skill into ambition, and ambition into purpose. Some say follow your passion. I say, follow what you’re good at—and you’ll become passionate.

This work is deeply personal. I know what it means to find your potential later than most—and how easily that discovery can be missed. I also know what a STEM education can unlock for a young person. It’s not just about learning facts or coding—it’s about building identity. It’s about helping a child see themselves not just as a student, but as someone who belongs and can contribute meaningfully to the world.— Anthony Alejandre, Vice President of Integrated Operations

Today, as Vice President of Integrated Operations at SmartLab, I help ensure our teams deliver hands-on, student-centered STEM experiences to learners across the country. This work is deeply personal. I know what it means to find your potential later than most—and how easily that discovery can be missed. I also know what a STEM education can unlock for a young person. It’s not just about learning facts or coding—it’s about building identity. It’s about helping a child see themselves not just as a student, but as someone who belongs and can contribute meaningfully to the world.

Being part of the SmartLab team is so much more than a job to me—it’s a full-circle privilege. I get to help students explore, experiment, and discover what excites them. And that ah-HA moment? It can change everything. It certainly did for me.