Meet Reever! One of this year’s Year 12 Program Alumni, with a passion not only for science but economics, too.
When she applied for the NYSF, Reever, like many NYSFers, wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to do after school. She hoped the NYSF would be a springboard into exploring STEM pathways and careers - and after a STEM Visit with the Australian Army Drone Racing Team, she’s excited to have found exactly that, with the program opening her eyes to new possibilities and broadening her perspective on future opportunities:
“Drone racing is not something I’ve ever considered, but I really like making things since I am a very hands-on, creative person.”
The practical elements of the STEM Visit were a real draw-card for Reever and made the experience one-of-a-kind.
“We got to learn about the bits and pieces of the drones and how you assemble them together… actually getting to fly one was also super interesting and I’m really glad I was able to have this experience at the NYSF.”
When reflecting on what pathway she might take after year 12, Reever said the Drone Racing STEM visit really challenged her perspective on what a career in defence could look like.
“Not a lot of young people who like STEM consider the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as a job, especially someone like me who doesn’t know much about aircrafts or engineering. But I enjoyed meeting the ADF people and they were really interested in guiding me through the different ways to get into the ADF.”
One of the ADF personnel Reever credited for the impact the session had on her was Flight Lieutenant Jake Dell-O’Sullivan, President of the Air Force Drone Racing Association (AFDRA).
When asked about his favourite part of getting to connect with NYSFers, Jake says he was impressed by their interest and curiosity.
“The NYSF students ask very technical questions which is fantastic to see that they’re so engaged in what we have to offer.”
He also reflected on the joy of being able to share his passion with the next generation of STEM enthusiasts:
“As the drone racing team, we can get into the nitty gritty details of how we assemble, program, and fly our drones, which allows us to share our passion and knowledge… All the students are so invested in their education and finding a worthwhile career pathway, and we’re really happy to support them on that journey.”
An aerial shot of 2026 NYSF Year 12 Program participants taken by the Australian Army Drone Racing Team.
As Reever takes her next steps through the NYSF Year 12 Program and beyond, we’re excited we could play a role in inspiring her to think bigger, bolder and more broadly about the opportunities ahead of her in STEM.
Thank you to the team from the Australian Army Drone Racing team for hosting this STEM visit and to ADF Careers for their support of the 2026 NYSF Year 12 Program.
Learn more about ADF study and career pathways here.