We already know there’s a serious lack of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers but at least we’re not the only ones actively campaigning to interest young girls in that particular life path. The Boys & Girls Club recently hosted an event called “Tech Girls Rock” to show girls just how fun tech can be and that yes indeed, tech girls do rock.
The South San Francisco Patch writes, “In an effort to deter such dreary statistics, the Boys & Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County, in partnership with CA Technologies, invited 140 local girls to the South San Francisco clubhouse Tuesday to take part in “Tech Girls Rock,” an initiative to engage girls in information technology and tech-related activities.”
At the event, 12-year-old Melanie Martinez was asked to name her favorite scientist or mathematician and drew a blank. “It’s pretty sexist,” Martinez said that there are so few women. And there, is the very reason events like this should exist.
Tech Girls Rock was aimed at girls ages 9-16. “Hoping to instill interest and offer information about possible tech careers, the day of workshops included lessons such as Lego robotics and CPU construction,” writes the SSFP.
“In terms of STEM, boys are more encouraged to participate in those subject than girls are,” said Sharon Dolan, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County. “My dad once told me, ‘Don’t worry too much about math and science because girls aren’t as good in those subjects,’” she said. “If someone would have said ‘You can do this,’ I think I’d like to have been an engineer.”
Martinez was a bit hesitant about the event at first. “It’s something that a lot of girls are shy about. They have never had the tools to fix a computer, so they don’t get the chance to do that,” she said, then realized. “I’m not alone. Other girls haven’t done this stuff either, but we get to work as a team.”
SSFP writes, “The Boys & Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County is the fifth Boys & Girls Club in the nation to hold Tech Girls Rock after CA Technologies gave a $1 million contribution to hold workshops at clubs throughout the country.”
CA Technologies Director of Community Affairs Erica Christensen says she’d like to make Tech Girls Rock an annual event. She said, “A lot of girls aren’t encouraged to go in that direction and that needs to change.”
(via South San Francisco Patch)
