North Texas STEM Camp Encourages Young Girls To Pursue Careers In Technology
COPPELL (CBSDFW.COM) — With research showing there aren't enough girls interested in pursuing careers in the technology field, an IBM summer STEM camp is now encouraging curiosity in middle school-aged girls.
IBM STEM camper Nina Sawaf said she doesn't think as many girls are struggling with math and science since more have gotten involved with STEM camps.
"Thanks to programs like this and encouragement, there's a lot more opportunities," Sawaf said.
The focus for these camps is inclusion, exposure and fun.
Sarah George, who's also an IBM STEM camper said she's had fun with the camp's experiments.
"We hammered a nail into wood with a banana, it was really cool," George said excitedly. "And today, we're doing a bubble gum experiment."
IBM camp co-chair Jo Lynn Golden started at IBM when women in the tech workforce were still rare.
"It was very intimidating. I was one of two females in the technical area," Golden said.
Now, she returns to help run these camps each year in celebration of progress made, as an investment in technology's diverse future.
"To see the lights come on in their eyes... To see them get what you're trying to get across," Golden said. "We've had a lot of girls came into the camp and weren't interested in a science career before, and they leave saying, 'I think I might want to be a doctor or a vet.'"
