In 7th grade I started taking woodshop for the first time. One day we took a 'field trip' to the HS to view the technology program there. We got to see all the cool stuff like the CAD labs, and the machine shop. Also, sitting in the middle of a table there was a little robot, with a 3 pronged claw, clutching a ball. This was my HS's 1995 robot from the Ramp and Roll Competition. When I got to see all this cool stuff I knew I wanted to learn about it. This was when my engineering *spark* was born.
Probably saved me from being a lawyer or something...
It doesn't take much, just a little shove in the right direction.