Q: Name of the town you went to primary school?

Port Stephens, NSW

Q: How would you describe yourself when you were in Primary school Years 4 – 6?

I would describe myself as curious, creative, and very social. I loved hands-on activities, group projects, and anything that involved problem-solving or being creative. I enjoyed reading, being outdoors, staying active, and discovering new things, especially through technology and interactive learning. I also really enjoyed gaming in my spare time and loved the creativity, strategy, and teamwork involved in it, even though it wasn’t something I talked about much at school. What I liked most about school was being with friends, having teachers who made learning fun, and feeling encouraged to try new things even when I was nervous at first.

Q: Name of the town you went to high school?

Port Stephens, NSW

Q: Which were your favourite subjects in high school?

Maths, Technologies, Health & PE and The Arts

Q: How would you describe yourself when you were in High school?

In high school, I would describe myself as creative, curious, and very interested in technology and design. I really enjoyed multimedia subjects where I could create short films, edit videos, and design digital artworks on tablets, as I liked being able to combine creativity with technology. I also enjoyed working on engineering-style projects with my dad, who is a mechanical engineer, which sparked my interest in problem-solving and how things work. Outside of school, I enjoyed playing representative netball, gaming and keeping up with new technology and trends.

Why did you want to become a MindSET-do presenter?

I wanted to become a STEM presenter because I didn’t grow up with many female STEM role models I could relate to, and I often kept interests like gaming and technology to myself. Growing up around foster care also showed me how powerful those interests can be — gaming became a meaningful way to connect with some of my foster siblings with special needs.

What do you like about being a MindSET-do presenter?

What I like about being a STEM presenter is being able to help students feel confident in their own interests and show them that STEM is creative, exciting, and inclusive. I enjoy making learning feel fun and accessible, and encouraging students to see that the things they love can actually connect to real-world skills and future pathways.It’s fun! We can have a play with technologies that are interactive and challenging, and we (teachers and students) might learn something from it almost by accident.

If you could offer students in primary school and high school one piece of advice, what would it be?

The best learning comes from mistakes, not perfection. Every mistake is actually progress in disguise.

“The best learning comes from mistakes, not perfection. Every mistake is actually progress in disguise.”

Jade Wells