It was another successful year for the annual Tech Trek Camp in Socorro, New Mexico.
The week-long camp is for middle- and high-school girls, particularly those who are passionate about science, technology, engineering, and math.
The Importance of STEM
Tech Trek Co-director Cheri Burch says this age group is important to reach.
“During elementary school, girls are as interested in science and math as boys are, but by the end of middle school, many have decided that STEM careers are not for girls. We are trying to intervene in these decisions by providing experiences with a wide range of STEM careers that may be new to these girls, as well as female role models who are professional in these careers,” she explains.
Growing in Popularity
The camp was held in mid-June of this year and 52 middle school students and 6 high school students attended.
“After a dip in participation in Tech Trek from 2020-2023, this year we’ve returned to our 2019 level of participation,” Cheri says.
There’s room for 60 girls each year. Four core classes are offered. Each class met for three hours every day, in addition to workshops and other STEM-related activities.
The classes included: A Tour of the Stellar Lifecycle (astrophysics), Digital Game Design (coding and mathematics), Engineering with Mars Rovers (engineering, robotics, and coding), and A World in Motion (mechanical engineering). The workshops covered topics and concepts including electrical circuits, geology & water safety, landfill design, STEM lingo, a professional women’s event, and more.
A Memorable Experience
With an action-packed week of programming, Cheri says they surveyed the students to see how they felt about the camp.
“I feel better about STEM. I get more things now that I did not know when I first came,” one participant said.
“It was a lot of fun. I didn’t want to leave, and I learned a lot,” said another.
A common theme within the feedback was that the camp was a great experience and was more fun than they expected.
More Than Just Camp
While the goal of the camp is to inspire young women, Cheri says there are some spin-off benefits as well.
“We are excited to be able to not only offer this opportunity to middle and high school girls, but also to college students and classroom teachers across the state, so that all of these women learn about STEM careers and employers in New Mexico, and can share that information with their peers and students in the state,” she says.
Pattern Energy is proud to sponsor Tech Trek this year and is appreciative of the great work they do for education in New Mexico.
Learn more about Tech Trek by checking out our previous article about the event: https://patternenergy.com/tech-trek-accepting-nominations-for-new-mexican-girls-interested-in-stem/