Ada Hensley, an 8th grader at Forsythe Middle School, recently took the mic at the 2025 Michigan Career Education Conference, the state’s premier open education career event focused on advancing occupational and career training.
As captain of her school’s First Robotics Competition (FRC) team and a three-year robotics veteran, Ada shared her experiences with Project Lead The Way classes and robotics to an audience of policymakers and stakeholders.
“She made us all proud,” said Cynthia Heraud, who serves as both the STEAM/PLTW Teacher and First Tech Challenge Robotics Coach at Forsythe Middle School. “It was brave of her and she was the only middle schooler there.”
According to Heraud, the combination of FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), and Project Lead The Way (PLTW) courses at Forsythe creates exceptional STEM opportunities for students.
“These programs ignite curiosity, build critical problem-solving skills, and foster innovation, preparing young minds to tackle real-world challenges,” she explained. “Through hands-on learning and collaboration, students gain technical expertise, leadership experience, and the confidence to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Forsythe’s commitment to empowering the next generation of thinkers and innovators sets the stage for a future driven by creativity, discovery, and impact.”
