Paloma is a passionate and driven student from New York who discovered her love for coding through Kode With Klossy’s summer programs in Miami. Coming in with no prior experience, she was quickly inspired by the community, the hands-on learning, and the empowering environment. Her first summer focused on data science, where she built a website from scratch, and the following year she explored app development, deepening her interest in tech. These experiences ignited her curiosity and led her to view coding as not just a skill, but a pathway to help others and pursue meaningful impact. Her standout project, Hal in Habits, was a mental health app designed for teens who lack access to therapy or support. Created in collaboration with two other scholars, the app was presented at Apple Aventura and became a tangible reflection of Paloma’s commitment to combining tech with purpose. Mental health is a deeply personal topic for her—something she’s been passionate about due to her own experiences navigating the pressures of high school and college admissions. This commitment also led her to co-create a podcast, Minds in the Making, focused on the intersection of mental health and STEM for underrepresented teens. Paloma is currently in the midst of a transitional moment—finishing high school and making college decisions—with plans to study mechanical engineering and potentially minor in business or computer science. Inspired by Kode With Klossy, she now sees tech as a flexible, powerful tool that can be applied across disciplines, whether she pursues software, hardware, or something entirely new. Perhaps most inspiring is how Paloma blends ambition with vulnerability. She’s candid about facing anxiety and imposter syndrome, especially in male-dominated STEM spaces. But through the community she found at Kode With Klossy, she gained confidence and motivation. Her ultimate dream? To become an engineer in Formula 1—fueled not only by her academic interests but by the weekly thrill of race day, which reminds her why she chose this path in the first place.