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Highlights from Girlstart’s Sunnyvale Girlstart on Deck Summer Camp

Thank you to Lakewood Elementary in Sunnyvale ESD for hosting Girlstart Summer Camp July 29-August 2! It was such a great opportunity to empower girls in STEM.

This week at camp, the campers explored the ocean from its surface to its sandy floor. They learned all about how to engineer equipment for the water while also taking care of the ocean and the creatures in it.

Campers engineered their own pulley systems for hoisting and lowering lifeboats off a ship, making sure that they would be completely safe in case of an emergency. The girls also learned about different kinds of propulsion and looked at how propellers can be used to push boats through the water. They also became aeronautical engineers to design model hang gliders!

While building things to go in the water is fun, we have to be careful to not damage the ocean environment and the creatures that live in it. The girls learned about ocean pollution and the danger it poses to organisms that live there. They then designed their own water filters to make water cleaner. Campers learned about plastic pollution and how to reduce their use by reusing materials. They made their own tote bags out of old Girlstart shirts!

Using virtual reality, the girls were able to explore coral reefs up close. Not only did they learn about the reefs, but virtual reality itself and what that technology can be used for. Finally, girls got to model and then 3D print their own cruise ships!

On Friday, the girls displayed all of their projects for family and friends to see. Thank you to everyone who visited to celebrate the girls’ hard work and empower them in pursuing STEM!

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Highlights from Girlstart’s Boys and Girls Club of Bellevue Summer Camp

Take it to the Streets! Thank you to TXL Boys and Girls Club for hosting so many campers for our Girlstart Summer Camp July 29-August 2. It was an experience they will never forget!

This past week, the campers became city planners and learned all about the ins and outs of what goes into a city – from engineering roads to designing greenspaces to learning about different energy solutions.

Starting with a small city, the campers first learned about the components of a city and what to consider when deciding where those go. Then, they expanded their cities with roadways and skyscrapers, exploring the engineering side of city planning.

Campers also explored how nature interacts with big cities. Making their own compost, building filtration systems, and designing greenspaces showed the campers how important it is to remember the environment!

Cities are always using new technology! The campers used their coding skills to program their own autonomous cars. Each camper personalized their own vehicle and then programmed it to navigate the city and even parallel park!

On Friday, the campers presented all of their hard work to friends and families at the Showcase. We are so thankful for everyone who visited for supporting girls in STEM!

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A BIG Thank You to DPR!

For giving Girlstart room to grow.

As more girls become involved in STEM activities through Girlstart, we found ourselves  outgrowing  our office space. Interns and volunteers needing a place to work to support our mission found themselves stationed in hallways or odd spaces throughout our building. Girls coming for activities needed an updated and more energizing place for STEM. Thankfully, our amazing ongoing community partner, DPR, came to the rescue!

DPR employees are superstars with their ongoing  volunteer commitments to speak at our Girls in STEM Conference , our Summer Camp sessions, and support our Game Changers luncheon.  So, when they saw a space that needed some serious help…DPR stepped up to provide an in-kind remodel of our entire office and student space…all within six weeks!

All labor was volunteer based and DPR was able to partner with some awesome companies to help support the effort. None of this lovely gift would have been possible without the generosity of  Angie Weyant of DPR, who serves on the Girlstart Central Texas Council and the driving force behind this in-kind renovation.

Here are the companies that helped make this in-kind remodel happen:

DPR Construction

Interior Architects

The Demo Company

McCoy Rockford Commercial Interiors

PPG Paints

We are also grateful for the tireless work of Darcie Fowler (DPR), David Walker (DPR), Ricky Fernandez (DPR), Cari Rodriguez (DPR), Karl Drake (DPR), Vikki Benefiel (Interior Architects), Holly Holstrom (INTERIOR ARCHITECTS), and Greg Wagner (PPG Paints).

Thank you!

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Highlights from Girlstart Goes West Summer Camp

Saddle up! This week the campers made their way west to explore the wild frontier. From cartography to geology to engineering, the girls learned what it takes to discover and settle new lands.

The first part of exploring is becoming familiar with the landscape. The girls learned about cartography and practiced making their own maps. They also learned about different kinds of rock formations and minerals, and panned for gold!

It’s important to keep people safe and healthy once they settle on the frontier. The girls learned how to lay out cities to efficiently use their land and help prevent the spread of diseases. They also experimented with different ways to make soap.

The campers did have the advantage of modern technology to help them in their expedition. They used a 3D modeling program to design their own cattle brands. They coded Sphero robots to navigate different terrains, and Ozobots to travel across maps of America. They also got a close up look at the Grand Canyon from right here at Girlstart through VR goggles!

On Friday, the campers showed off all of their hard work at Showcase. Thank you to all of the family and friends that came out to support girls in STEM!

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