Hello STEMinists!
Getting girls involved in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts & design, and mathematics) is more important than ever. Girl Up, in partnership with The US Department of State’s Office of Global Partnerships, Google, and Intel, is announcing the 2018 WiSci Girls’ STEAM Camp held in Tbilisi, Georgia this August. Girls from around the world will come together for a unique hands-on educational opportunity and rich cross-cultural experience. The camp will include a STEAM curriculum led by experts in the field from Google, Intel, and more, as well as leadership development activities and learning excursions within Georgia.
In the lead-up to this great opportunity, here are some testimonials from WiSCi alumnae:
Promise Chipeta, Malawi
“I was so proud to be at the 2017 WiSci Girls STEAM Camp because I got to show my talent and prove to people that girls can do anything. Being at this camp helped me in a lot of ways. It was my first time being on a plane and that was an exciting experience. The camp helped me boost my confidence and learn new things about STEAM (and that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). I met so many girls for the first time from Uganda, Liberia, Rwanda, Zambia, Tanzania, and the U.S. and learned so much from them in the first week. The girls at WiSCi are beautiful and kind; they have become my family and helped me overcome homesickness. We are all girls who want to be future leaders and nothing will stop us from following our dreams.”
Ruby Rios, USA
“While these girls face different challenges than me… they are just like me. I’m a member of Cohort 10, The Game Changing Girls. Our cohorts are groups of 10 that we are assigned at the beginning of camp, and spend a large portion of time with during the course of the camp. Our cohorts participate in activities and classes together, eat meals together, and somehow always find a way into your room during the night to hang out together.
I can’t debunk all stereotypes in one trip, though I have learned that many of them are untrue. I’m not sure I can change anyone’s mind that way. What I can do, however, is to tell you about the amazing girls in cohort 10 and hope you can see what Africa is like through them, as I have.”
Ines Renique, USA
“Empowerment and education are two pillars Girl Up advocates for on a daily basis. And that is a big part of what Girl Up most contributed to the camp. While campers were learning science and technology from the experts of Intel and Google, we were also partaking in Girl Up workshops. With subjects ranging from communication strategies, to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to advocacy and philanthropy.”