![A photo of Mikayla Melero and a brief bio]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1747262137/alamedak12caus/plt5todskl70gpclgcvg/SeniSpotlightInstagramPost1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1747262137/alamedak12caus/plt5todskl70gpclgcvg/SeniSpotlightInstagramPost1.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1747262137/alamedak12caus/plt5todskl70gpclgcvg/SeniSpotlightInstagramPost1.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1747262137/alamedak12caus/plt5todskl70gpclgcvg/SeniSpotlightInstagramPost1.png","width":1080}])
ASTI senior Mikayla Melero is headed to Cal State Maritime Academy, which will be called Cal Poly Maritime Academy when Cal Poly SLO merges with the Academy this summer.
There she plans to study Marine Engineering Technology, which will prepare her to work as an engineer either on a ship or with a shoreside industry. Her education will include summer terms at sea, during which students develop hands-on skills and leadership.
Mikayla already has an impressive amount of engineering experience. For 18 months, she was a mechanical engineering intern at Deep Ocean Exploration Research, located on the former Alameda Navy Base. That internship gave her the opportunity to learn about and design parts for submersibles (better known as “submarines” to the landlubbers among us).
For the last four years, Mikayla has also been a member — and is now team captain — of Team 4186 - Alameda Aztechs FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team. The team, which meets on Coast Guard Island, has 35 members from ASTI, Alameda High School, Lincoln Middle School, and a couple non-AUSD schools. The team recently won 2nd overall out of 41 teams for a competition in San Francisco that could put 11” balls in baskets, place PVC pipes, and climb up a small cage.
The Maritime Academy has high standards and expectations (including requiring that all students take fitness tests at the beginning of the school year and live on campus for four years). Mikayla seems totally prepared for that. In addition to being on the 4186 Alameda Aztechs robotics team (which meets for seven hours a day on weekends for up to three months when building a robot), she helps the ASTI Cover Dance Club (ACDC) as Secretary, which helps students build confidence in dancing.
“I’m excited!” she says. “The Maritime Academy seems like a really friendly place. And once I graduate, I can either go into the Coast Guard or engineering industry.” Right now she’s leaning toward the engineering industry, and we wish her smooth sailing during her college journey!