Junior Katie Rink is a computer science student who uses her interest in technology to impact her community.

At A Glance

Go to outfit when you’re feeling confident: A tank top and jeans

Favorite music genre: Electronic dance music

A topping you never want on a burger: Tomatoes

Describe yourself in one word: Awkward

Worst fear: Getting a papercut in my eye

Looking Deeper

The Red Ledger: How do you influence others with technology?

Katie Rink: Well, I’m definitely trying at church to help out a bunch. I’ll go up and I’ll work lights and sound, even though I do mess that up. I get to help people and, occasionally, with different things like if my friends are having a graduation or something, I get to go up and help them because I’m really good at figuring out technology and stuff like that. So, it’s really nice because if I get to pave the way for someone to express their passion, then I get to give them the spotlight by making everything super smooth for them. That’s how I make a big influence on people.

TRL: Who is the most important person in your life?

KR: Probably my best friend because she’s inspired me in so many ways. If it wasn’t for her, then I wouldn’t be talking right now. I wouldn’t be doing anything. I would be sitting in the corner of my room. So, she’s the reason I am the person that I am today.

TRL: What classes do you excel in?

KR: Computer science and math, most definitely. I know it’s kind of the cliche answer for a technology person, but it’s really what I do well in. I have never studied for a math test in my life.

TRL: What do you plan to do after high school?

KR: Hopefully, go to college. I want to try to intern for computer science to hopefully get a job that allows me to code a lot and try new things, maybe in the AI field.

TRL: How many girls do you know who work and experiment with technology?

KR: Maybe 50. I mean, I went to my dad’s work once, and he has a bunch of women he works with. And I have gone to quite a few women and STEM conferences so that always lends itself to meeting a lot of cool people.

TRL: What are the STEM conferences?

KR: Well, one was just a computer science competition for only women, and I’m about to go to it in two weeks because it’s an annual thing. A lot of them are just trying to get girls more into STEM, so some have been engineering, some have been STEM-based all together, and there have been a couple of science ones. I’m actually applying to a summer program for women, and we’re trying to get into mechanical engineering and stuff like that.