Electrical engineering and math major Brandon Baker (third row, third from left) with other members of NSBE Fort Valley State University’s 2013–14 Chapter Executive Board. Baker is the starting center on Fort Valley State’s football team.

The age-old saying, “Mighty oaks from small acorns grow,” can aptly describe these three NSBE members. They have transformed themselves from NSBE Jr. members-at-large to leaders of one of the world’s best student-governed organizations.

Dr. Njema Frazier at NBC 4 in New York City this past summer, to discuss NSBE’s Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) Academy in Brooklyn

NSBE family, meet three of our best! The new NSBE Bridge Honor Roll recognizes the outstanding achievements of middle school and high school members of NSBE’s Academic Pyramid of Excellence (APEX). APEX students have verified grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher (http://www.nsbe.org/Programs/NSBE-Programs/APEx.aspx#AcademicPyramidofExcellenceWallofFame). Each issue of the magazine will spotlight several of our NSBE Jr. APEX honorees, to promote Academic Excellence.

Thanks to all of the NSBE Jr. members who submitted their animated stories for the 2013 NSBE Bridge 3-D Computer Programming Contest. In this, our second contest, it was exciting to see the creativity of our pre-college students in action once again. Choosing a winner wasn’t easy!

The NSBE Bridge Honor Roll recognizes the outstanding achievements of middle school and high school members of NSBE’s Academic Pyramid of Excellence (APEX). APEX students have verified grade-point averages of 3.0 or higher (http://www.nsbe.org/Programs/NSBE-Programs/APEx.aspx#AcademicPyramidofExcellenceWallofFame). Each issue of the magazine spotlights several of our NSBE Jr. APEX honorees, to promote Academic Excellence.

NSBE Bridge gives a  big “shout out” to the winners of the Fall 2013 NSBE Jr. Poster Contest! NSBE is proud of all of the participants, who researched the important subject of renewable energy to create their artwork for the contest.

Growing up in tough South Central Los Angeles, Margo Batie rarely saw positive role models outside of her home.

The words she speaks reveal her high intelligence, but there’s also something in Rachel Harsley’s polished voice that points to a strong will and a rock solid determination. Even talking with her over the phone, you sense you’re dealing with a winner — not the kind of person you’d want to cover one on one in basketball, a sport she played, by the way, as a scholar-athlete in high school.

Christina Barker is a member of NSBE’s Philadelphia Professionals chapter.