The region’s first science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) summer program exclusively for high school girls, the CNY STEM Hub Summer Camp for Young Women Powered by AT&T, has been created to encourage more women to enter the field of technology, an industry that is alarmingly male-dominant.
The program, created by AT&T, CNY STEM Hub, Le Moyne College and Partners For Education & Business Inc., will provide 30 girls from local high schools (grades 9 through 12) across Central New York an opportunity to gain STEM skills and experiences and engage them to follow a STEM career paths.
The summer weeklong program is from July 25 to 29 at Le Moyne College in the newly-renovated science building. Participants will learn computer coding basics, robotic engineering and computer science literacy, among other STEM-related topics. To ensure inclusion and diversity, the organizers are committed to having at least 50 percent of the participants in the program made up of at-risk high school girls and, to eliminate economic barriers, the registration is free, transportation is available upon request and lunch is provided.
CNY STEM Hub Summer Camp for Young Women Powered by AT&T will connect girls with team-based STEM projects designed to make a difference in their schools and their community, while providing them hands-on experience developing their own technology. The program will be half day building on communication and problem-solving skills by using guest speakers and best practices, the other half day is for girls to participate in informational tours, work on projects in the Le Moyne College Maker Zone and to participate in mentoring dialogue circles with professional women from STEM- related companies.
The camp director is Meriel Stokoe, most recently the education director at the MOST (Museum of Science & Technology). Students will also interact daily with Doug Hill of the Le Moyne College Maker Zone, located in the Madden School of Business.
To register, girls and their parents must visit cnystem.com and go to News & Events. All applicants will need to provide any STEM-related accomplishments and complete a short essay as to why they want to attend the camp. A panel of judges will be used to assist in selecting camp invitees.
The deadline is July 10. Applicants will be notified if selected or not on or before July 12.
In addition to the CNY STEM Hub Summer Camp for Young Women Powered by AT&T, AT&T and the CNY STEM Hub are partnering on establishing the Women in STEM Mentoring Program, an initiative linking up more than 100 young women interested in STEM with women in STEM professionals from the region. The program will entail various events where the women and girls from regional high schools can come together for networking and formal programming at a local STEM company.
The mentoring program is designed to build off of the momentum of the STEM summer camp and to continue to strip away gender barriers in STEM education and professions. In addition, Women in STEM information will be developed and highlighted on the cnystem.com website.
