Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
This week, 100 girls from River Bend, Seneca Ridge, and Sterling Middle Schools gathered for an unforgettable day of exploration, creativity, and connection at Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, hosted in partnership with Microsoft.
Students participated in three engaging sessions, including two hands-on activities and a panel discussion featuring women and student leaders pursuing STEM pathways. One activity challenged students to work with cables and connectivity concepts, helping them understand the infrastructure around the internet. In another session, students used Minecraft to build a data center from the ground up, learning how engineering, technology, and problem-solving come together to support the internet and the services we use every day.
A highlight of the day was a panel featuring female Microsoft employees alongside two River Bend graduates who are now high school students pursuing STEM coursework and opportunities. Panelists shared their educational journeys, career paths, and personal interests, offering students a real-world look at the many ways women can thrive in technology and engineering fields.
The conversation was filled with encouragement and practical advice. One panelist reminded students, "Don’t limit yourself!" Another shared the importance of seizing opportunities, telling students, "If you get opportunities like this (event)… take advantage of them." Students also learned that women remain underrepresented in STEM fields, making it even more important for young women to see themselves as future engineers, innovators, and problem-solvers.
Perhaps the most memorable advice came when a panelist encouraged students to "Find your person" - a mentor, teacher, friend, or role model who believes in them and can help guide them along the way.
As students reflected on the day, they discussed the ideas that stuck with them most, the challenges of the cable exercise, and the excitement of designing their own Minecraft data centers. More than anything, they left with a better understanding of the possibilities available to them and the confidence to explore careers they may never have previously considered.
Through hands-on experiences and meaningful conversations with inspiring role models, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day helped show 100 young women that their future in STEM is full of possibilities.
Comments