Hi, I'm Nate Kitzinger.
Hi, I'm Nate Kitzinger.
I am a Senior at Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ, and plan to major in mechanical engineering. I am passionate about robotics and compete at an international level. I also enjoy creating DIY engineering projects, including a gas-powered, four-speed manual go-kart.
As a student leader at CHS, I founded, organized and led the CHS Investment Club and the CHS Architecture and Engineering Club. I created the clubs to give students hands-on opportunities to explore finance, design, and innovation beyond the classroom.
As Editor-in-Chief of the CHS Yearbook, I lead a creative team in capturing the spirit of our community through storytelling, design, and collaboration.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I helped spearhead a grassroots movement to 3D print and distribute face shields for healthcare workers, an experience that deepened my commitment to problem-solving, teamwork, and using technology to make a positive impact.
Outside the classroom, I love spending time in the kitchen and the workshop, both places where creativity meets precision. I’ve explored my passion for cooking and baking through a summer culinary program in NYC, working full days in a professional kitchen to learn technique, teamwork, and the joy of feeding others. When I’m not experimenting with new recipes, I’m often designing, building, or flying drones and creating projects on my 3D printers. My summer as a hands-on intern at a local car mechanics shop deepened my understanding of the "condition, cause and correction" approach to car engineering and automotive design. I also love exploring the world beyond my workspace and have traveled to 23 states and 13 countries, experiences that opened my eyes to new cultures, cuisines, and ideas. Whether it’s perfecting a loaf of bread, engineering a drone from scratch, correctly diagnosing an engine problem or exploring a new place, I’m drawn to hands-on learning and the adventure of turning curiosity into experience.