MassBay Student Combines Educating Children and Science to Craft a Children’s Book for the STEM Expo

MassBay Environmental Science student Lina Borda grew up in Colombia, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in education and taught math and English to children. She found that teaching was rewarding, and opportunities were plentiful, but Lina wanted to sharpen her English skills, grow personally, and experience studying in the United States.

Always loving working with children, Lina came to the U.S. to be an au pair. She developed a strong bond with her host family, which then became her American family. When they discussed Lina’s goals for personal growth, she explained that she would love to take classes. Her host family supported her and with a friend by her side, Lina drove to MassBay and registered for classes.

While at MassBay, Lina knew she wanted to combine her love of science with education. Preparing for the Student STEM Expo last fall, she created a children’s book based on biomimicry about noise pollution and the importance of silence for mental health. The Student STEM Expo is a bi-annual event, where students showcase their semester-long projects that highlight different areas of STEM. The book features a little girl and her animal friends from a farm, where the images and story take the reader into sounds of nature which are interrupted by the sounds of machinery, creating an anxious environment. Lina’s project was well received by the Expo visitors, and provided Lina with a lot of positive feedback.

“The reaction from the community was overwhelmingly positive,” Lina said. “It was my first time participating in something like that, and it was a wonderful way to combine my interests. I was able to tell the story and put in illustrations, creating this picture book for the Expo. It was a great experience, and who knows, maybe I will write more children’s books in the future.”

While at MassBay, Lina has been active in the International Club, worked as a math peer tutor in the Academic Achievement Center, and taught English through MassBay’s Corporate Partnerships and Workforce Development (CPWD) ELL program.

“I was born to teach—I love it,” Lina said. “Sharing cultural and life experiences to learn together is my passion. All of my experiences at MassBay have made me a stronger teacher. My dream is to become a college professor, and now, because of my work with CPWD’s ELL program, that dream is within reach.”

Lina will graduate from MassBay in December 2025 with a 3.8 GPA. She has earned a spot on the Dean’s List and President’s List every semester and was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society.

“My favorite thing about MassBay is how much the faculty and staff care about their students,” Lina said. “They want you to succeed in every way. There are so many supports to ensure your quality of life and help you reach your goals. If you need something, ask—someone will help you. Everyone at MassBay is here to cheer you on. When I graduate, I’m going to miss MassBay a lot.”