Oscar Quinones ’24: A Shining Light Helping Others

Walking through the first floor of Agee Hall, you will pass a few classrooms filled with strange and impressive-looking machinery. Robotics parts are stacked on shelves and to the untrained eye, appears to be a mixture of a machine shop and a construction site. In these rooms, you will find Oscar Quinones ’24, a member of the robotics team, Spectrum 3847. Having discovered robotics competitions in first grade at St. John Paul II Catholic School, Oscar is one of Jesuit’s more experienced team members. When asked about being a member of Spectrum 3847, he says, “What I value most about robotics at Jesuit is our machine shop. I have learned several trades skills and tools that most high school students don’t even know about.”

Spectrum 3847, composed of students from Strake Jesuit and St. Agnes Academy, houses its lab on Jesuit’s campus. “I have gotten to work with the CNC router, laser cutters, soldering, our lathe, and the pneumatic tapper. I also was able to learn 3D modeling in Solidworks which not many high school students get the opportunity to do.” His time in robotics has also aided his college search process. “I interviewed at MIT with an alumnus there, and being able to speak in detail about what I love in all of my designs helped me find common ground with someone who is further along in their career path, which I think helped my admission process.”

Oscar says the Grad at Grad ideal that speaks to him most is open to growth. With both parents working in oil and gas, he has lived all over the globe. Those different experiences and viewpoints taught him the value of being more understanding and always continuing to learn. Coming from London to Jesuit as a sophomore, Oscar found a home in the community. “Jesuit challenges me both academically and spiritually. Living in so many places around the world, I felt that I began to lose my faith, having no roots in a church. Being at Jesuit, the brotherhood helped me find roots with students in my classes and grade level.” Living abroad also helped him discover his desired career path. In Mexico City, he saw the impact of car pollution on air quality. “As you left the city, you could notice the color change. It impacted me in a way I never thought of before. I want to work in automotive engineering. I love combustion engines and I want to help create a better type of fuel. Porsche has already begun to develop a new type of biofuel, and I want to join them in work on that project,” he says.

As a member of Spectrum 3847, Oscar puts his skills and experience in robotics to good use. Robotics coach Mr. Jakob Wittry ’19 shares, “He has been a vital student for us. He played a pivotal role in designing and building our off-season robot to compete at Bellarmine College Prep in September, and he has led an initiative to create Spanish language resources for over 20 Spanish-speaking teams, helping make robotics more equitable.” His desire to help others aligns with the mission of the team. The name Spectrum comes from their goal to shine a light and help others, even their competition, learn more about robotics. Oscar’s readily noticeable impact at Jesuit will most certainly shine as he heads off to college and beyond.