Nearly 1,000 industry and community leaders came together to remove barriers and become Hit Makers for the next generation of STEM and healthcare leaders in Washington state. More than $1.1 million was raised to support low- and middle-income students pursuing high-demand careers in Washington state. Author Derek Thompson, of the bestselling book Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in the Age of Distraction, talked about the power of networks in his keynote address. Scholar Lyn Boyd told the inspiring story of how WSOS helped launch her from a homeschool education to helping cure childhood cancer at Seattle Children’s Hospital.