But on Saturday, the eighth grader at Louisville’s Frederick Law Olmsted Academy North was visiting the University of Louisville’s J.B. Speed School of Engineering, learning about a possible career in the field.

Stetser was one of more than 800 people who attended the March 1 Engineering Expo, which is put on annually by the Speed School Student Council. At the event, he and other students participated in hands-on activities that demonstrated engineering, science and math concepts, and they toured research and teaching labs in Speed School and other UofL facilities.

Attendees also were able to watch elementary, middle and high school students in various competitions, including one that tested pre-built balsa-wood bridges. And they could see Speed students showing off racing vehicles that they’ve built.

Stetser, who hopes to one day attend Speed School and become an engineer, said his favorite activity was a bottle rocket launch contest. He and his classmates at Olmsted North have been building rockets in an engineering class there.

The theme of this year’s E-Expo was “Speeding to the Next Frontier.” The goal of the event is to introduce students to opportunities available in the engineering field.

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John Karman, III
John Karman joined the Office of Communications and Marketing in 2014 after a 20-plus year career as a Louisville journalist. He has served as director of media relations since 2015. In that role, he answers reporters’ inquiries and is the university’s main spokesperson. John was a reporter for Business First of Louisville from 1999 to 2013. There, he won numerous awards from the Louisville chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists and American City Business Journals, parent company to Business First. John can die happy after seeing the Chicago Cubs win the 2016 World Series, although he would also enjoy another title.