Girls In STEM Camp

Middle-School-Age Girls From Northern Nevada Benefit From Attending Girls in STEM Camp

In April 2023, Sierra Nevada Journeys held its fifth annual Girls in STEM Camp. It was a fun and educational weekend experience for participants from Northern Nevada Title 1 schools.

With the support of our sponsors, Girls in STEM Camp 2024 expanded to include girls from California. We are so grateful for the contributions from Tesla (lead sponsor), Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation, Knowledge Systems Institute, Martis Camp Foundation and Women Lawyers of Sacramento.

Once again, interactive speaker presentations were a highlight of our programming, captivating campers

with new educational and career possibilities for the future, delivered by women in the STEM fields. Speakers represented a wide range of STEM disciplines from robotics and physics to engineering and hydrology.

Additionally, team-building and leadership skills were a focus on the challenge course, and learning sessions in pond, garden and forest ecology were also held.

Shawnee Dunagan, P.E., an engineer with Wood Rodgers, Inc., shared her knowledge of infrastructure design and gave the Girls in STEM participants real-life examples of how their love for STEM can turn into meaningful professional careers. “I had a blast spending the weekend with the girls at Camp. They were eager to learn how upgrading infrastructure can improve soil and water quality as well as reduce flooding,” said Dunagan.

With 74 percent of girls expressing interest in STEM in middle school, women only make up 34 percent of the science and engineering workforce.

These disparities indicate a significant drop-off from early interest to actual participation in the STEM workforce, emphasizing the need for ongoing support and encouragement for women in STEM fields throughout their education and into their careers. Programs like Girls in STEM help close this gap by building confidence in participants’ science skills and exposing them to STEM career options.