Student Advisory Council

Empowering Indiana Students to Lead the Future of STEM

The TechPoint Youth Student Advisory Council is a statewide youth leadership program that gives students in elementary, middle, and high school the opportunity to help shape STEM education across Indiana.

Whether you’ve participated in our robotics programs or are just passionate about science, technology, engineering, and math — this is your chance to represent your peers, share your ideas, and create change in your school and community.

What Is the Student Advisory Council?

The Student Advisory Council (SAC) is made up of 10–15 diverse student leaders who serve as youth ambassadors for TPY. As a SAC member, you will:

  • Provide direct feedback on TPY programs like VEX Robotics and STEM events

  • Participate in real-world STEM projects from start to finish

  • Gain leadership experience and mentorship from STEM professionals

  • Help ensure our programs meet the needs of students like you

  • Inspire others by being a positive role model and changemaker

Who Should Apply?

We are looking for students who are:

  • Enrolled in grades 4–12 in any Indiana school (public, charter, private, or homeschool)

  • Passionate about STEM, equity, and youth leadership

  • Interested in developing skills in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving

  • Willing to represent the voices of their classmates and communities

You do not need to be an expert in robotics or coding — we welcome all levels of experience and backgrounds.

What You'll Do

As a SAC member, you will:

  • Join monthly virtual meetings

  • Collaborate with a statewide team of students

  • Receive mentorship from industry professionals

  • Help design and lead student-focused projects

  • Participate in discussions with TPY staff and community leaders

  • Learn how nonprofits create impact at the community level

Sample Meeting Topics

Meeting

  1. Kickoff Meeting

  2. Planning Session

  3. Mid-Year Check-In

  4. End-of-Year Showcase

Focus

  1. Welcome, mission, role assignments

  2. Define projects, set timelines, form teams

  3. Progress updates, peer feedback

  4. Present outcomes, celebrate achievements

What’s Expected of You

To make the most of your experience, SAC members are asked to:

  • Attend all scheduled virtual meetings (1 per month)

  • Participate in discussions and share your ideas

  • Be respectful, prepared, and on time

  • Serve as a positive role model at school and in your community

What You'll Gain

Participation in the SAC gives students:

  • Leadership and project management skills

  • Mentorship from STEM professionals

  • A deeper understanding of STEM equity and education

  • Opportunities for recognition, networking, and growth

  • Community service hours and eligibility for letters of recommendation

Interested in joining the Student Advisory Council? Fill out the application below!

Current Council Members

Xander Wagner | Woodlan Jr/Sr High School

My name is Xander Wagner and I am a 7th grader at Woodlan Jr/Sr High School. I wanted to join the Student Advisory Council because I love robotics. I joined our school’s team in 4th grade and I plan to be an engineer. The skills I gain from robotics and the experience on this committee will help me with my future. I also wanted to have input into our state’s robotics program. Something unique about me is that I have two 3-D printers that are always running. I am constantly designing and printing things to fix real world problems.

Grace Griffith | Valparaiso High School

Grace Griffith is a Junior at Valparaiso High School and she is thrilled to continue to be a part of the Techpoint Student Advisory Council. She looks forward to being able to make a change in robotics and the STEM world through working together with this council.

Audrey Hammer | Carmel High School

Audrey Hammer is a freshman at Carmel High School in Carmel, Indiana. She has done robotics for four years but has been interested in STEM for as long as she can remember. Audrey is excited to be on the TechPoint Youth Student Advisory Council because she believes she can make a difference within her community. She looks forward to meeting people across the state with similar STEM interests.

Isaiah Gray | Plainfield High School

I am excited to be on the student advisory board because it gives me an avenue where I can continue to be a part of youth robotics in Indiana after I graduated from it.

Donte Gaskine | Fall Creek Valley Middle School

I am excited to be on the student council because I like helping people and also showing what our program can do to help others in robotics and Stem.

Micah Yee | Seymour High School

Hi my name is Micah, I am a sophomore at Seymour High School. I have been in robotics for four years, and I am very excited to be on this Student Advisory Council. You may see me Emceeing IQ tournaments or mentoring younger teams. VEX has changed my life and given me a passion to serve the robotics community.

Gavin Miller | St Mary Catholic School

Hi, my name is Gavin Miller and I am a sixth grader at St Mary Catholic School in Rushville, Indiana. I see this council as an opportunity to continue to be involved with Vex Robotics, past the sixth grade. This is an organization that I enjoy being a part of and I am excited to see where this opportunity takes me.

Brennan Chrisman | Jay County Jr. Sr. High School

My name is Brennan Chrisman, I am a Junior at Jay County Jr. Sr. High School. I am part of my school's robotics program, and math and science academic teams. I am excited to be on this council to help my community and grow as a person.

Thejasri Raghuram

My name is Thejasri Raghuram. I’m the high school liaison for the TPY Student Advisory Council. I’ve been on the council for four years and over the past 5 years, I’ve dedicated myself to robotics and stem culture by joining stem based clubs at school and making it to worlds for robotics with my team. I’m passionate about making robotics more accessible to women. My work is driven by creativity, innovation, and leadership. Outside of my professional life, I enjoy music, crocheting, and chess. I actively support my community through volunteer work, such as through hospitals and other miscellaneous events.

Jalayne Hurst | Northwood High School

I have been in robotics for five years now.

I’m glad to be a part of this because I want to help other students start their robotics career.

Prudence Peng | Sycamore School

Prudence Peng is an eighth grader at Sycamore School. She loves to play the violin and flute, play with her dog, and volunteer at educational and community events. Prudence has been with the TPF4Y Student Advisory Council since its inauguration in 2021. She is extremely passionate about STEM and dreams of becoming an immunologist growing up.

Dexter Buckley | Heritage Christian High School

My name is Dexter Buckley, and I’m a junior at Heritage Christian High School. I started robotics in 6th grade on an IQ homeschool team, 323H Blaze, and for sure the highlight was winning my division at Worlds and making it to the Dome in 2022. One of my favorite robotics memories was winning 2nd place in the Mega Alliance at the US Open. Now I compete with 6210M Meta Mafia—we were state finalists last year—and my favorite game so far has been High Stakes; it was packed with strategy and made every match exciting.

How to Apply

Applications are now open!

Parents & Guardians

We welcome your involvement and support! The SAC is free of charge, fully virtual, and designed to fit into students’ school-year schedules. We’ll provide:

  • Calendar of meeting dates

  • Consent forms

  • Communication updates throughout the program

Join Us — Be a Voice for STEM in Indiana

Are you ready to lead, grow, and make an impact in your community?

By joining the Student Advisory Council, you’ll help shape the future of STEM education and empower students across Indiana — starting with your own school.