March SPIN Feature Story
More than Migration — Building the “Blubber” and skill at SPIN
Each March, a quiet shift begins along the jagged coastline of the Salish Sea – the ancestral lands and waters of the Makah (qʷidiččaʔa·tx̌) people. The gray whales, or the ‘Sounders,’ return to the Puget Sound for a quick meal before continuing their journey on one of the longest migrations by any mammal.
To the Indigenous peoples, these whales are more than marine mammals; they are our relatives. Known as the Elders of the Sea, they carry ancient maps ingrained into their DNA. After a winter "vacation" spent nursing calves in the sheltered lagoons of Baja California, they turn themselves toward the North. Their destination: feeding grounds thousands of miles away in the icy waters of Alaska.
At STEM Paths Innovation Network (SPIN), this migration mirrors our mission. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we are reminded of the strength, resilience, and passing of knowledge from trailblazing women to future generations, honoring those who paved the way for women and girls today.
This past month, our classrooms and labs have served as our version of those "Baja lagoons." We create safe, “warm nurseries” where girls and BIPOC youth build their foundational strength in STEM. When a student sits before a film script, internship application, or a complex research question, they aren’t just completing a project, they are actively building the "blubber" of skill and "muscle" of confidence.
The goal of a gray whale nursery is never to stay in the shallows. The goal is to prepare them for the current.
As the weather warms and we move into the next season, our students are making a similar "northward turn." Their eyes are shifting toward the horizon. We ensure our students have the real-world, hands-on experience so they don't just enter STEM careers, they lead them.
In Coast Salish tradition, the whale is a symbol of community and guidance. At SPIN, we provide guidance and mentorship that acts as the "slipstream," making the path into science, technology, engineering, and math more accessible. We honor the ancestral brilliance of the people who have always navigated these waters while equipping a new generation to lead the way.
To a casual observer, a whale sighting is a moment of grace, and a student's project is a flickering circuit board. But beneath the surface is an entire movement. We ensure that when our youth reach the 'open ocean' of their futures, they don't just survive the swim; they command the currents.