Leadership is a recurring theme in conversations about Juliette. Richard Perrine, her former programming teacher, recalls a group project. "Her leadership, organization and understanding of interpersonal dynamics and willingness to seek advice and instruction helped her to direct a team of three to four young men to the successful development of the software."

A participant of the HOBY Youth Leadership Program, Juliette has represented her class on Student Council throughout high school and served as Shorecrest Student Council President her senior year.

Just as Juliette brought Youth Partners with Haiti to Shorecrest, she intends to bring the program to Georgia Tech. "I've been in touch with students and faculty on campus to learn about the possibilities for expanding my mission to Haiti.”

With each success - like admission to a top 5 engineering school - Juliette tends to push herself just a bit harder. She credits many of her Shorecrest teachers for their persistence in building hers.

"Ms. [Jessica] Thorn is, in my experience, the best teacher at Shorecrest. She's so invested. She kept challenging me. She'd adapt course material if she thought I could do more advanced work."

While Ms. Thorn taught in Juliette's strong subject area (math), Dr. Emerson "Doc" Littlefield taught a subject that was more of a stretch for Juliette's STEM-focused mind.

"I had Doc for AP Language & Composition," she says. "I'd go back for rewrites, stay after. He helped me grow tremendously as a writer."

Juliette is quick to acknowledge the necessity of strong writing skills. "It doesn't matter what program you create or device you develop," she continues. "If you cannot communicate your ideas to people, success is much harder to achieve."

But as seriously as she takes her studies, Juliette takes herself far less so. Just ask her about her stint as a Charger Cheerleader.

"My friends Breck and Kim cheered all through school," she laughs. "They convinced Hannah and me to do it senior year. I did it for fun, but… I was just really bad. I mean, it was so much fun! But the dancing and stuff, I was so bad…"

Although Juliette remembers the dancing as sub-par, the experience as a cheerleader helped break the ice with one of the college admissions reps who came to visit Shorecrest, who also happened to be a cheerleader. "We found we had that in common and it opened up our conversation really well!"   

In discussing the college admissions process, it's clear those on-campus meetings stand out in Juliette's mind. "Meetings count. Take those meetings seriously and think about how you want to present yourself. If you're really interested in doing something, speak up."

Speaking up is what drives Juliette, whether it's advocating for the citizens in La Gonave, Haiti, or for women in STEM fields, she's determined to make a difference.

"It is important to increase the representation of women in these crucial decision-making STEM fields."

If Juliette's high school career is any foreshadowing, she won't just have a seat at the table, she'll be at the head of it.