Curren Mandon
While at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Curren initially pursued a degree in aerospace engineering. During this time, he demonstrated his teaching abilities by developing and instructing a course titled “Engineering Rockets,” where students designed and launched both 3D-printed and solid-motor rockets, reaching impressive altitudes of over a thousand feet. Recognizing his calling to enhance STEM education, Curren transitioned his focus to environmental curriculum development for elementary school classrooms and changed his major to Education. At UCLA, he has been working at the MakerSpace, guiding new students in 3D modeling, laser cutting, and engineering projects, fostering their creativity and technical skills. Curren’s commitment to education extends to his research work at the UCLA Lab School. Here, he designs innovative environmental curricula for primary classrooms and investigates various learning styles to optimize student comprehension and engagement. This fall, Curren will take a gap year to serve as a botanical garden teacher at UCLA, while he applies to master’s programs in environmental education.