Photo By Ashley Nekoui | Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) personnel, Lt. Kaylene...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO - Female scientists and engineers from Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific) participated in Engineering Day at the Girl Scout’s Outreach Discovery Day Camp, lending a supporting hand to girls interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Personnel from SSC Pacific interacted with the students, sharing their experiences with the girls and highlighting the imaginative and artistic qualities that are combined with STEM careers during Engineering Day.
“Generally, when we ask them to draw a picture of a scientist, it’s always a man in a white lab coat,” said Lucy Esparza, the Girl Scouts San Diego outreach manager.
“Bringing in women engineers allows the girls to see that scientists and engineers are female too. Having women from SSC Pacific participate provides that real-life experience. When we introduce the participants you can hear the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the Scouts.”
SSC Pacific provided a variety of STEM activities, including Straw Rockets, Snap Circuits, Toothbrush Robots, Earthquake Towers and an Extreme Weight Tower Building, allowing the girls to explore and work in teams to construct and build the items.
“It’s important for us to encourage the students today, as these are the next generation of scientists and engineers,” said Chris Deckard, the SSC Pacific K-12 internship coordinator. “Inspiring students in STEM is a high priority at SSC Pacific, and the Girl Scouts organization has really enhanced this movement, so it’s nice for us to work together on this common goal.”
The Outreach Discovery Day Camp is part of Girl Scout Outreach, a program that the San Diego Girl Scouts adopted in 1980. During the 2011-2012 school year, Girl Scout Outreach served more than 9,300 girls at nearly 150 elementary and middle schools and community groups in San Diego County and Imperial Valley. Girl Scout Outreach reaches out to communities where families are unfamiliar with the Girl Scout organization. This program is usually introduced in an after-school environment.
“Day Camps are a part of Girl Scout Outreach,” said Esparza. “Generally, we have about 75 slots for Engineering Day but we had so many girls who wanted to attend that we had to expand the group size for a total of 95 girl scouts.”
“The secret to Girl Scouts is that all-girl environment, especially in STEM,” said Esparza. “The girls lose their inhibitions, they feel safe and comfortable, and the magic happens.”
| Date Taken: | 07.23.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 07.30.2013 16:11 |
| Story ID: | 111076 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 345 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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