Changing the World through Technology: Take Five with Nicholas Anaya, Golden Apple Finalist

Meet Nicholas Anaya, an engineering and robotics teacher at Lindblom Math and Science Academy!

When Mr. Anaya first arrived at Lindblom, it was not as a teacher. Rather, he served as a volunteer for the school’s robotics team while working as an electrical engineer. After eight years as a volunteer, Mr. Anaya began a new career in education, serving as Lindblom’s engineering teacher and continuing to build out the school’s robotics program. 

According to Mr. Anaya, one of the best things about Lindblom is the school’s robust Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. As a CTE teacher, he feels fortunate to be able to work across all grade levels and experience the growth of his students over the course of their high school careers.

Mr. Anaya’s impact at Lindblom was recently recognized when he was named a finalist for the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. Read more about him below!

What are your biggest goals for your students?

What I love about engineering is that it's about taking an idea or problem and creating solutions for it. My main hope is to create a sense of agency for students and have them leave my class feeling empowered that they can change the world around them. Not necessarily in a grand sense, but in the sense that they can turn to technology to solve everyday problems, like fixing a broken drawer or car part.

What was your reaction when you learned that you had been named a Golden Apple finalist?

It's cool to be recognized, especially since I don’t exactly come from an education background. There are provisional education licenses for people like me who come into the classroom because of our industry experience, but we don't necessarily have the pedagogical background of other teachers. So receiving this recognition is really neat because it shows that I’m doing well despite being a career changer.

What is one of your favorite memories at Lindblom?

The first time our robotics team won a regional championship in 2019. It took us many years to build up to that, and that same day, we also found out that two students who were in my engineering class at the time were accepted to the University of Michigan. It was an amazing day all around!

Are there any projects or units coming up in your classroom that you’re particularly excited about?

As a part of the Robotics I course, which I’ve been developing for five years now, students get to work on building a robot in its entirety. My students have just finished assembling their robots, which is farther than we’ve gotten at this point in previous years. So now we’ll be able to focus on the fun stuff, like building out games, challenges, and mazes to observe how these robots interact.

What advice would you give to CPS educators who are career changers?

Try things out before you do them! Through a volunteer opportunity, I was able to establish relationships and build out my skills, making my transition to teaching much easier. Besides giving back to the community, volunteer opportunities are helpful when it comes to sharpening your skills and helping you figure out if you enjoy the work before jumping in and making the shift like I did.