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Thank You Houston Girls in STEM Conference Volunteers

Girlstart hosted it’s second annual Girls in STEM Conference in Houston, TX on Saturday, October 5th at Alief Taylor High school. Over 250 4th-8th grade girls from all over the Houston area joined us for a truly impactful day.

Throughout the day, girls attended hands-on workshops led by women from companies such as: ExxonMobil, Acxiom, Jacobs Technologies, Shell, Pape-Dawson,Johnson Space Center, and so many others. A big thank you to the 45 presenters/co-presenters for sharing their Saturday with us and inspiring girls.

There were also close to 80 volunteers who helped behind the scenes with setting up, checking in girls, monitoring halls, assisting workshops, helping presenters unload and load up their cars, and more. The day wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our amazing volunteers and the support from the Houston community.

View photos from the day HERE

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Thank You Back to School STEM Saturday Volunteers

Girlstart hosted it’s annual Back to School STEM Saturday in Austin, TX on August 24th. Close to 300 people joined us for the day for hands-on STEM fun, including making slime, launching rockets, programming robots, creating lunar reconnaissance orbiters, and enjoying mini-planetarium star shows.

We are so thankful to all the volunteers who led activity booths to make the day such a success (including being outside in the Texas heat!). To view pictures of the day CLICK HERE.

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Thank you, My IT Pros!

Fifteen IT professionals set out to cut out nearly 43,000 foam squares last Friday at My IT Pros in Austin. The squares will be used to represent buildings and roads to create a hands-on visualization of city planning at Girlstart’s Summer Camp!

Cutting out squares was a simple task, but the efforts of every single employee represented the company’s dedication to seeing more women rise up into the tech industry.

“I think it’s really important to empower young women to know that in a generally male, technology-driven world, it’s possible to do whatever you want to do,” Tiana Lopez, a My IT Pros employee said. “The technology world is constantly changing so it’s a good industry to get involved in from a young age.”

That’s why the company is celebrating its 25th year in business by raising money for Girlstart. So far, they’ve raised over $7,500 to support women in STEM and help send girls to Girlstart Summer Camp!

Girlstart’s mission would not be possible without businesses like My IT Pros who dedicate their time and money to see girls succeed in the tech industry. Thank you, My IT Pros!

If you or your business are interested in contributing to Girlstart’s mission, click here.

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Small Work, Big Mission

The Women in Technology group at VISA employees spent their Thursday afternoons cutting aluminum circles out of disposable pans, tracing gliders onto plates, and preparing marshmallow slingshots.

The materials will serve 300 kids expected to attend Deep in the Heart of STEM, a free community event on Sunday, February 3rd. Families will flock to the Bob Bullock Museum to learn about how science, technology, engineering and math played a role in Texas history.

Kids of all ages will use the VISA employees’ handiwork to engineer a propel powered boat like La Belle, the only surviving ship from an expedition that changed the course of history. As families explore the museum, they’ll make slingshots, use cookies to learn about mining, and learn about flight by creating their own gliders.

“We hope that kids are going to have fun making slingshots, but also learn the STEM principles behind it,” said Sharlym Gil, Director of Volunteers at Girlstart.

The work the VISA employees did Thursday was simple, but it represented an integral part of Girlstart’s operations. Without volunteers, community events like Deep in the Heart of STEM would not happen.

“Without their work we wouldn’t be able to do the work we do,” Gil said. “It’s not glamorous work, but it’s definitely helpful and needed.”

If you or your business are interested in contributing to Girlstart’s mission, click here.

All are invited to attend Deep in the Heart of STEM on Sunday, February 3rd. The event, including admission to the museum, is free and open to kids of all ages.

Sunday, February 3rd
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Bullock Texas State History Museum
1800 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701

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