04/11/2026
The South Hill Rotary Club welcomed Ava Crowder as guest speaker this week. Available attended the Rotary Youth Leadship Awards and have the club and update on her experience. She is also the leader of StemSquad locally and talked about that program. They could use a little local funding for projects if anyone would like to support StemSquad.
Here is her excellent speech.
Good evening everyone and thank you so much for having me! I am incredibly honored to be speaking here tonight. If you do not know me, my name is Ava Crowder and I am a junior at Kenston Forest!
First off, I would like to thank all of you, especially Ms Lisa, for sponsoring my RYLA weekend in February. It was an amazing experience, and I am very grateful that I was selected to take part in it. I met new friends and other inspiring young community leaders from all over Virginia all passionate about what the Rotary stands for. The projects presented that weekend reminded me of my very own here in South Hill– the Southside STEM SQUAD.
I was also made aware that South Hill rotary has quite the reputation to uphold as everyone there was telling me, South Hill district always sends the best students. In fact, one of the main counselors who was there still remembers my sister as part of his group back when she attended the same program. He asked me if I were related to Sophia Crowder and that up until now, they still talk about her project idea. Of course I was proud to say that I am indeed her little sister and that she’s still a nerd at UVA, like my grandpa. My group presented our service project idea which was to build an anti-bullying app to help with kids who struggle with bullying at school in line with the Rotary’s principles of creating something that would be fair, beneficial, and build good will and better friendships for all We didn’t win first place, but we won the hearts of those who had to deal with bullying in that room, so much so that I am actually considering coding that app into existence.
But for now, my plate is full running STEMSquad, a community initiative my sister and I co-founded in 2019. While Sophie has always been the ring leader, I never really thought about stepping up to the plate when she left for college. I never thought I’d have the talent, knowledge, or confidence to do so. Until last year when my sister talked me into entering a science competition. She wanted me to give it a try, I wanted to go because it was a free trip to DC. However, that competition changed my life. And it really has in so many ways. Through that competition, I was finally able to pursue my interest in Biology and Chemistry. I’ve always thought that while I love Science, I’m not really into space as much as she is. But that’s what that competition has taught me. I don’t have to be a space person to love Science. Although, as I am finding out now, Space is part of Science and who knows, I might just end up being a space person afterall. Maybe not a rocket scientist like my sister, but maybe more into astrobiology and research, such as researching these fascinating little things I entered into the competition: Rust Easting Bacteria.
Yes there is such a thing as rust eating bacteria and my favorites are the small but mighty Geobacter Sulfuredducens, which according to my research so far, has the potential to create so many incredible, sustainable ways we use metals on and off earth. Not only do these little bacteria live to eat rust, they also create some form of electricity while doing so. I was so fascinated by my discoveries that I was so excited to lead my group and presented our findings to the panel of judges which consisted of an astronaut, the chief Scientist of Blue Origin who also happened to be the former chief scientist for microbiology research at NASA, and the director of Amazon’s Satellite Systems, LEO. I’m usually not good at presenting and public speaking, but when tasked to present that project, I’m telling you—I could talk all day about it. I think they could see through that and had no choice but declare our research the winner despite the fact that we were up against magnet school students from NoVA, DC, and Maryland I’d have to say, South Hill Virginia was well represented that day although all of them asked…where it is on the map.
Anyways, that single event changed my perspective and motivated me to carry on the program that my sister left behind. Since November, I have hosted science workshops every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month at the R.T Arnold Public Library to help foster early STEM learning in young students within our community. Every session has been a blast– whether we’re making paper airplanes or studying lava flows– y’know, the usual science-y stuff. We even have a field trip scheduled soon to visit the hydroponics farm, which all of us are stoked about! Each STEMSQUAD hosts an average of 15-20 kids from ages 5-14 per session, which is a lot for me to handle, but I have come to love it! I mean as you all know, I’m Jimmie Crowder’s granddaughter, I’m bound to be a people-person.
The program has really grown since 2019 and we still keep getting new kids to join us. However, we do have some challenges, and that is one of the reasons why I’m here to speak to you today. As the program has grown, funding for materials and other expenses have also increased. Providing individual supplies for each child can add up very quickly– something I’ve learned the hard way, esp as this is volunteer work with no definite sponsors to help fund these projects. Although I had an initial fundraiser at the beginning of November, we are in need of more funding especially as we have big plans for a community science fair in June, which everyone here is invited to watch, of course. It is the culmination for our program before Summer break and we would love to ask civic clubs within our community like yours to please extend some outreach help if you can. Any donations, no matter how big or small, would be greatly appreciated and will be used towards funding this program that enriches the lives of kids in our community, as to whom, would be future Rotarians, given the right guidance and support.
STEMSQUAD has become much more than a passion project for me– it has become a purpose-driven project. We have even gone international, when I led a session in Husavik, Iceland while I was there presenting my Geobacter research during the Exploration Festival. It was an incredible experience to say the least. The local elementary school there brought all the 3rd-4th graders to hear about this American girl from South Hill VA talk about these little thinngamajeggers.
Rotary has done so much to support me and my family throughout the years, and I am extremely grateful for the amazing South Hill community I have here at home, no matter how far I go. Thank you all for being part of my support system and I look forward to your support for STEMSQUAD.
