We had a fabulous event yesterday. The girls got to see the Home of the Future and the Envisioning Lab. They were in awe of the tours and were so inspired to create technology themselves! WE had a beautiful lunch with Microsoft employees and they also told their stories to the girls and the girls asked some great questions too. All in all, it was a very special day.
I want to thank the women who make this day possible, Brooke Lowry, and Claire O’Donnell. These women work behind the scenes to make sure we have the best experience possible.
A big thank you to our tour leaders, Tiffany Dedeaux, with the Envisioning Lab and Jackie Giuliano. They make this experience so special for the girls. They both care so much that the girls get the best experience possible and take the time to process every piece of the tour. Thank you both so much for all you do for our students.
Thank you to our Presenters at our lunchtime panel presentation. You were amazing, and really inspired the girls to think about these career choices. I wish everyone in IGNITE would experience these lunch time panels, because they are truly a powerful, and something to experience to see the power in IGNITE. Thank you to Lilia Gutnik, Bing PM, Sarah Filman, Program Manager, Erika Fuentes, .NET, and Deighton Marugh, OPS. YOu are all amazing people and we are fortunate to have you in IGNITE.
A big thank you to the teachers who work with the girls every day. You are all wonderful and inspiring people. Thank you to Susan Evans, Project Lead the Way teacher and an engineer, who chose to go into teaching! Thank you to Marianne Pauley, Business and Marketing. Marianne does an IGNITE chapter in Marysville, and a true IGNITE leader. She wore her IGNITE tee shirt to the event. She is my role model! And thank you to Cheryl Nordmark, the teacher in Marysville who runs the home school program. Cheryl will be starting an IGNITE chapter for her students next school year and she is really inspired!
Here are the comments from the girls survey forms.
- I heard about struggles. I want to pursue a great career but nobody in my family has ever done that or even gotten off of drugs. Thank you for letting me know that I can have a life I want with motivation , really, thank you.
- I liked how I came in thinking I wouldn’t fit in at Microsoft and also that where were no careers in the technology field that I would be interested in, and left wanting to go to school for design and computer science. Also that I should not worry so much about the high school experience and just get through it and it will get better.
- There is so much I enjoyed about today. I enjoyed hearing the stories and backgrounds of some of the employees. I also enjoyed learning the plans of the future in a way that is incredibly fun. What I think was the most interesting things was hearing the employees perspectives about their jobs and backgrounds. Thank you . grade 9
- Today’s events were awesome and I learned a lot. grade 10
- What I liked best was exploring the possibilities of technology. The other part I liked best was seeing examples of today’s technology. I learned that math and creativity will create success. We need more women in technology. grade 12
- I loved getting to know all of the different career choices that Microsoft offers. The tour around the high tech house was my favorite thing. It was very interesting and helped me become more interested in what I can help make my future better. grade 10
- The Home was cool to see. I liked listening to LIlia’s story as well. She made me want to pay attention and listen. You can learn how to do things better and get even further in life. I don’t feel very good about math, but now I want to take the time and learn more and maybe do what Lilia does. Being a creative person can follow their own careers. grade 10
- Having the employees talk to us and seeing the future house were my favorite parts.
- The best part was listening to Lilia and the rest of the workers. I learned a lot about women in technology and how they need more women. grade 10
- I liked the presentation. It was interesting to hear from people working in this field. grade 10
- I really enjoyed hearing people’s stories. People had a lot to say.
- I like being able to experience things that you wouldn’t get to see on a daily basis. I also like hearing the journeys of the employees, very inspiring. grade 9
- I liked hearing about the stories the Microsoft people had to say, Also hearing about future technologies.
- I like to learn, do something in this field. I loved hearing peoples personal experiences. I learned a lot.
- I liked hearing the speakers talk about their careers.
- Everyone had a different story to share with us. It wasn’t all about , you should join us, blah blah blah, it was good info, and I can’t wait to come back. Not all of the people who work here loved computer science, but after they tried it they found that they loved it. grade 10
- I really liked the house of the future and Lilia. I really liked listening to the stories of the panelists. grade 9
- The event I liked best was seeing the home of the future. It really grabbed my attention because I love those kinds of things. The most interesting thing I heard today was Lilia’s story, about how she got here because I love math also and shoes. I feel like I want to work here after college and but first I would have to choose the right classes to get there. grade 9
- I liked the smart house because its cool. Future technology is so much more advanced. grade 9
- It was great to see the future. I really learned a lot from everyone’s stories.
- I enjoyed the tour tremendously. All of the gizmos I got to see and personally play with is making me want to possibly pursue and engineering career in another field other then Aerospace, which I loved before today, now its computer science, or engineering.
Thank you to everyone who make this day so special.
Cathi Rodgveller M.S. Ed.
View the Cleveland High School Chapter Page
View the Mountain View High School Chapter Page