In the past, women have been excluded from careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, while men have been encouraged to pursue those career paths. However, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) wishes to change that pattern. AAUW founded Tech Trek.
Tech Trek is a camp for middle school girls interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Various camps are held around the country. Each summer, the Bellingham Branch of AAUW sends a few girls from the Bellingham School District to the camp at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) in Tacoma, WA. In July 2016, four girls from Bellingham were able to attend—Calista Cronck, Huyen Le, Jasmine Miller, and Mei Personius.
Pam Sankey, co-chair of the Tech Trek Selection Committee, helps decide which girls to send. Seventh grade teachers nominate girls who show capability and interest in STEM. Then, nominees must apply. The application includes an essay describing why they would like to attend Tech Trek. Nominees are narrowed down to campers based on their applications and an interview with a local AAUW member. For the students who are chosen, the camp is paid for by AAUW based on the result of fundraisers and donations from local businesses and individuals.
Tech Trek proves to be a very positive experience for these middle school girls.
“At Tech Trek,” explains Sankey, “girls are immersed in a world that empowers and encourages them to think about themselves as future scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and computer specialists.” In their regular lives, girls may be discouraged from pursuing careers in STEM. Often, girls are outnumbered by boys in STEM subject classes, and it is not seen as traditional for a woman to work in a STEM field. The camp, however, shows girls that they too can pursue STEM in their careers.
Campers are surrounded by other girls with similar interests and are able to meet professional women in their areas of interest. They experience all of this during their weeklong stay at a university campus. Overall, it is a very powerful experience for attendees. It can influence their choices for the future, such as whether to go to college, what subject to study, and what career to pursue.
“Without Tech Trek I doubt that I would be able to be so committed to pursuing a career in the STEM field,” reflects one camper. Many girls go to Tech Trek without knowing what career they would like to pursue. Many return with a passion for STEM and the motivation to become a doctor, nurse, scientist, or another similar professional.
For Sankey, the best part about sending girls to Tech Trek is hearing about their experiences once they return. Upon returning, the girls give a presentation to the AAUW Bellingham Branch describing their experience. Sankey enjoys seeing the enthusiasm of the campers and their reactions to what is often a life-changing experience. The experience is significant in part because it occurs at such an important time in a girl’s education. In the summer between seventh grade and eighth grade, they are approaching high school. It is the perfect time for them to grow excited about opportunities in STEM.
Parents also give positive feedback when their daughters return from Tech Trek. Not only do the attendees learn new STEM skills and begin to consider their careers, but many parents report that their daughters returned with increased self-confidence. Their new self-confidence is partially due to their experience on a college campus.
“A week’s stay on an exciting college campus helps girls picture themselves on such a campus and visualize college in their future,” Sankey notes. For the girls, simply spending the week at PLU is exciting. They spend a week away from their parents, which helps increase their independence. Walking around a real university campus, without their parents, leaves them with increased confidence in their ability to do things for themselves and live on their own. The experience is very similar to that of college. Girls have a core class in the subject of their choice, which they attend each day. In addition, they attend other classes and labs. When they see what college is like, they become excited to attend themselves.
“The experiences I had in the camp will never be experienced anywhere else,” another camper says to AAUW at the end of the summer. “Thank you for seeing potential in me.” Besides a passion for STEM, the attendees have another thing in common. They have all been inspired to follow their passions and believe in themselves. Not only that, but they share a gratitude for the wonderful experience given to them by AAUW Bellingham.
