My name is Charlie Bates, and I have decided to pursue a career in engineering. I am currently exploring my interest in Civil engineering through an Internship with COA Barrett, a civil engineering firm based in Prince Fredrick. Ever since I was a little kid, my passion for engineering has been inspired by my father, a backseat fighter pilot for the Marine Corps, who is now a lead engineer for the contracting company Deloitte. As a child, I channeled my creativity into constructing forts out of pillows and couch cushions, which has now evolved into using a more advanced understanding of physics to build survival shelters in severe conditions.

Currently, I am enrolled in Leonardtown High School and the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center. I am taking AP Calculus BC at Leonardtown and in the Engineering program at the Technology Center. I take these classes to prepare myself for any potential field of engineering that I decide to pursue. Having an understanding of Calculus and engineering lets me easily expand upon my knowledge in the field, which will help later on when I am learning about the way projects are affected in their environment. I have also successfully completed AP Physics 1 and AP Calculus AB while in attendance at Leonardtown High School.

Outside of academics, I take part in the Leonardtown High School Varsity Sailing Team as a skipper for one of the fleet's FJs. Being on the sailing team has taught me teamwork and compatibility with my crew and other boats on the water. I have also improved my situational awareness while on the course in close quarters with other boats, and my intuition about what the fastest way through the course is and how to take that path.  I am also a part of my local Boy Scouts troop, Troop 303 of Valley Lee, MD. In the troop, I am one of the older scouts, so I am naturally a role model for the younger boys, however, I have been a Senior Patrol Leader and Scribe in the past. In elementary school, I took part in the Maker Space Club, which got me thinking of creative problem-solving and working with others as a team to solve a problem. At my previous Jobs I produced orders, occasionally had to fix the broken machines, which has taught me about problem solving and allowed me to explore the mechanical side of the food industry. I also operated power boats to maintain the safety of the sailing camp while also being an instructor. Currently at my internship, I aid the engineering techs and civil engineers in drafting on the autocad software Civil3D. I also help out the builder services crew in counting quantities of items being used on a project to develop the cost estimate, such as the amount of trees, plants, amount of mulch, gravel, and the number of manholes. 

Immediately after graduating from High School, I plan to attend a four-year college in the Great Lakes area, ideally Michigan Technological University, to continue my studies in engineering. I think this is the best option for me as it will provide me with the deeper education needed before going into the workforce while providing me with the environment to do what I love, Sailing and Skiing. After graduation from college, I will either enter the workforce or continue my education further in engineering. 

After finishing college, I plan on entering the workforce to improve on current designs and create new ways to solve problems all over the world. Now, whether this will be through hands-on work or more on digital computer design, I have not decided yet, but what I am sure about is that whatever I choose to do in my life will have a positive impact on the world.