March 29th, 2026
Welcome to Pillars of Tech's first newsletter!
We are so glad you have decided to take the time to read our newsletters. The goal of these newsletters is to spread STEM education and general news about our organization! We plan to send these every Sunday starting on March 29th, 2026!
If you're still confused as to what Pillars of Tech is, read more below!
👥 Who We Are
Pillars of Tech is a student-led nonprofit organization dedicated to making STEM education accessible and engaging for students of all backgrounds. We create hands-on experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity, and confidence in the next generation.
We operate as a fiscally sponsored project under a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, meaning all donations are tax-deductible and directly support our programs and events.
Through workshops, competitions, and community initiatives, we provide opportunities for students to explore real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and math.
If you’d like to support our mission and help us grow, we’d greatly appreciate your support.
Since our founding, Pillars of Tech has hosted and participated in four events, reaching over 1,500 attendees. These events have primarily focused on hands-on engineering activities, giving students the opportunity to build, create, and solve real-world problems.
From interactive STEM booths at Science Odyssey and Science at Stockmens Park to competitions like Wildcat Tank, our goal has been to create experiences that go beyond passive learning—encouraging students to actively think, explore, and engage.
As we continue to grow, we plan to expand into additional areas of STEM, including science and technology, to offer even more diverse and engaging opportunities.
Congratulations to our winners of Wildcat Tank! (You can click on the winners and watch their pitch on YouTube! We recommend you turn captions on)
1st Place: Lucas Cardella (Social Signs) | Score: 193/200
2nd Place: Alishka Sharma & Atharv Sharma (Helio Bloom) | Score: 192/200
3rd Place: Arya Sharda (Hydra Buddy) | Score: 184/200
One of our biggest milestones so far has been the Wildcat Tank, our student pitch competition designed to give participants the opportunity to turn their ideas into real presentations.
The goal of Wildcat Tank was simple: to help students turn their ideas into real presentations.
Participants developed ideas ranging from engineering solutions to everyday problems to creative, tech-driven products. They then presented their ideas in a fast-paced format, followed by a short Q&A with the amazing judges. Judges are Rick Stulen, Randy Simpson, and Vaughn Draggoo.
Be sure to check back every once in a while for photos from the event! We are still getting those ready!
📊Scores and Recordings
If you would like to revisit the event, you can:
View participant scores on our main website
Watch presentation recordings
Explore all the incredible ideas that are shared.
👉 Check it out here: pillarsoftech.org/wildcat-tank
Please note: these photos have not been altered or edited in any way. The versions shared on Instagram have been color corrected.
Don't forget to follow our Instagram also!
At Pillars of Tech, we believe STEM should be:
Accessible to everyone
Engaging, not boring
Hands-on, not just theoretical
Our goal is to inspire the next generation of engineers, innovators, and problem-solvers by giving them opportunities to explore and create.
Our team has also grown alongside our impact. We’re excited to welcome Jaden Jirasevijinda as Vice President, supporting leadership and organizational development, and Shree Manickaraja as Website Developer, helping strengthen and expand our online presence.
Join the Pillars of Tech team! We are happy to accept new members to help us out! This can include leading events, planning events, and reaching out to people. We also have positions that create STEM lessons so that we can write them each week in this newsletter. We also plan to have a YouTube series where twice a month, we post a video that teaches STEM, whether that be programming, engineering, or more!
Going forward, this newsletter will include:
Updates on what we’re working on
Upcoming events and opportunities
Highlights from past activities
Ways you can get involved
We want this to be more than just a newsletter; we want it to be a way to stay connected with a growing STEM community.
Also, feel free to follow our Instagram page! There, we post photos from events and more!
🔊 What's Next?
We have a lot planned, including new events, expanded social media presence, and more ways to get students involved.