The Power of Hands-On Learning: Reflections on Waldorf Education

As a Senior Software Engineer at Amazon Web Services, my work now revolves around solving complex real world problems through theoretical knowledge and practical implementation. Much like building a trebuchet, software development requires breaking down big abstract problems (how to fling a pumpkin) into small components (the Trebuchet base, sling, length of the arm, counterweight, etc), pushing things to the limit to see what breaks and troubleshooting to fix it. The school gave me the mindset to approach challenges with curiosity and creativity. It encouraged me to deconstruct problems and figure out how things work—a mindset that was essential when I transitioned to high school and beyond

AWSNA shared this article recently showcasing a Waldorf Alum’s journey into outerspace. Read more below! There’s nothing a Waldorf student can’t do and that’s something we are very proud of. Go Sarah!

Lead Space Operations Engineer, Sarah Gillis, a graduate of Shining Mountain Waldorf School Class of 2012, is aboard SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft on the Polaris Dawn mission. After years of preparation, Sarah orbited the Earth at 745 miles and completed a spacewalk the morning of Thursday, September 12, 2024.

The mission makes Gillis one of the first two non-government individuals to conduct an extravehicular activity (EVA) in space. The crew’s mission also includes scientific experiments on cosmic radiation and space vacuum effects.

Gillis has previously prepared NASA astronauts for the first Demo-2 and Crew-1 missions, trained the Inspiration4 astronauts, and supported real-time operations for Dragon’s cargo resupply missions to and from the International Space Station. This is her first trip outerspace.