(Source: Monkey Business / stock.adobe.com)
Based on an interview with Jose Quijas
When Jose Quijas started working at Code Central, an afterschool K–12 technology center in Henderson, Nevada, he had already left a computer programming career to pursue his passion for mentoring kids in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, he had an epiphany that redirected his career again. Mouser Electronics sat down with Jose Quijas to discuss how his new career path has helped shape a new path for STEM curricula that expands access to knowledge and resources.
Jose Quijas is a dedicated STEM educator and mentor with over 17 years of experience in developing customized STEM programs for students. As the founder of Innovator's Oasis and a STEM Coordinator at The Pathway School, he has inspired countless students to overcome challenges and pursue careers in STEM fields through personalized, hands-on learning experiences.
Several students at the Code Central technology center were on the autism spectrum, and many of these students gravitated toward computer science. “They were actually incredibly good,” Quijas remembers. “I had a student that was barely able to speak, but as I explained the concepts to him, he quickly grasped them and began programming with surprising skill. I was amazed.”
“Clearly, with so much untapped potential, these and other students with disabilities represented an underserved opportunity in STEM education,” Quijas recalls. “These kids could flourish in STEM careers, but, too often, they are overlooked and not in the position to seize these opportunities for themselves. What they need is someone who is willing to be their advocate, to be their voice, to fight for them, and to bring these STEM opportunities to them. I could be that advocate for them.”
Not long after this epiphany, Quijas received a call from The Pathway School, a nonprofit school in the greater Philadelphia area that provides leading-edge special education and therapeutic support to students from the surrounding school districts.
The school’s student population is diverse, including nonverbal students on the autism spectrum, students from the foster care system or abusive homes, students struggling to progress beyond beginner math levels, and students studying college-level math. Some students came to Pathway after not finding the appropriate resources for success in their school districts, while others came because their parents secured accommodations from their district to attend The Pathway School. The school districts that Pathway supports are often underserved and lack the facilities to address these students’ unique needs.
Pathway’s goal is to help these students catch up to their peers and equip them with the education, social skills, life skills, and job training to prepare them for success after graduation. The school wanted Quijas to restart its STEM program, but this would not be any ordinary STEM program. “With so many diverse needs, I would need to adapt my program to the interests, goals, and weaknesses of each student,” he says. “That variety and the ability to help special-needs students connect with STEM was a perfect fit for my goals.”
In 2021, Quijas accepted the school’s offer and began a new role as a STEM coordinator at The Pathway School.
With so many of the school’s students struggling in their math, science, and English classes, Quijas discovered that his STEM programs—including robotics, coding, and virtual reality technology—could help students overcome these hurdles.
“Instead of viewing my programs like the classes they attend, these students see them as fun—a place where they can use their hands to create things,” he says. “Over time, they start realizing they’re applying principles from the math classes. They’re using their reading skills to conduct research for their projects. They’re using writing skills from their English classes to write their projects. Inevitably, they realize that everything they’re learning in their classes has a purpose and is intertwined. Best of all, they realize that they actually enjoy learning and using this knowledge.”
Seeing this pattern, Quijas now uses his programs as incentive for students to be more diligent in their other subjects. “For example, if they want to participate in the robotics team, they must turn in their homework on time and keep their grades at a certain level,” he explains.
Quijas remembers one student who was struggling in his classes, fighting with other students and talking back to teachers. One day at lunch, this student entered the robotics room and was enamored instantly with one of the robots.
“He asked if he could join the team,” recalls Quijas. “We discussed his behavior and his struggles in math and English, and I made a deal with him. He could come to the robotics room every day during lunch, and I would help him with his math and English work. If he finished his work, he could work with the robots.”
Gradually, this student’s behavioral problems disappeared, he improved his grades, his teachers enjoyed having him in class, and he became a leader on the robotics team.
“This year, he’s transferring full-time to another high school, where he will be learning about heating, ventilation, and air conditioning,” says Quijas. “He’s gotten to the point where he knows how to do the work, he’s not fearful, and he’s already planning to go into robotics after graduation.”
Quijas attributes his students’ progress to his customized approach to their individual needs and interests.
“I try to make sure that every kid feels accomplished by the time they complete my class,” he says. “This requires me to work with each student and their parents to pinpoint their interests and needs. Then it requires me to build a curriculum that can be adapted to every student in the class. For example, I was working with a student who loved the Roblox video game. I helped him design a project in which he would learn the computer programming skills necessary to build a video game similar to Roblox. From that point on, the student was invested in the project and having a great time.”
In his first few years at The Pathway School, Quijas has seen numerous students start with little to no vision for their future, only to leave with a greater sense of capability and purpose. A student who started with plans to enlist in the military now plans to earn a machining degree. Female students who were convinced that coding was not for them now plan to pursue computer science careers. A student who refused to speak to students or teachers now leads the robotics team, confidently collaborating with students and faculty alike.
Quijas explains, “This is what these special needs students are capable of—even with so much against them—when we present them with personalized opportunities to engage with and grow in a STEM environment. It can bring out so much latent potential in them. It can transform their futures.”
Mouser Electronics is an industry leader in supporting educational initiatives that inspire and engage students in STEM-related projects and programs. It is through its unwavering support to education, particularly at the secondary and postsecondary levels, that Mouser strives to motivate, inspire, and encourage new generations of engineers and scientists to lead us forward.
Mouser Electronics, founded in 1964, is a globally authorized distributor of semiconductors and electronic components for over 1,200 industry-leading manufacturer brands. This year marks the company's 60th anniversary. We specialize in the rapid introduction of the newest products and technologies targeting the design engineer and buyer communities. Mouser has 28 offices located around the globe. We conduct business in 23 different languages and 34 currencies. Our global distribution center is equipped with state-of-the-art wireless warehouse management systems that enable us to process orders 24/7, and deliver nearly perfect pick-and-ship operations.
