We had a fabulous event yesterday at South Shore K-8 school. We had 30 girls from 7th and 8th grades. We sat in a big circle and talked. The girls really asked great questions and also really enjoyed listening to the women and participating in the discussion.
I want to thank the wonderful Engineering teacher Meredith Blache, for making this a priority in her curriculum. We will be doing some wonderful activities with this group of girls this year. And they are such a smart and wonderful group. Ms Blache is really such a great teacher and helping the girls understand all about technology and engineering. She is using the Project Lead the Way program, to read more PLTW.org
It’s so important to get girls started at this age. The girls were mostly 12 and 13 years old.
I want to thank the spectacular IGNITE volunteers. You were all extraordinary in your ability to connect with the girls and engage them completely in a dynamic and caring way. Cheryl Platz, User Experience Designer, Microsoft, and Cheryl is on the IGNITE board as Communications lead and also put together an amazing Powerpoint for the girls. Thank you to Cindi McCutchen, Chemical Engineer, and Sr. Applications Analyst at Microsoft. Cindi is such a natural with the girls! And a big thank you to Marta Smith, who has dedicated years to IGNITE. She is has been attending these events as long as I can remember. Marta is a Senior Staff Engineer in Test at Western Digital. Thank you Marta for your continued commitment and passion for helping girls! And a special thank you to my assistant Christie Ong, who is doing many special projects for me. Christie is an IGNITE alumni, graduate of Roosevelt HS 2005, Rochester Institute of Technology and the Fulbright award. I am so grateful and fortunate to have Christie working with me.
Here are all the comments from the girl’s evaluation forms.
- I liked how they told their own stories through the program.
- The most interesting thing I heard was how you can work and balance your passion for something you like/love to do.
- Nothing really, it was great.
- I really look forward to going to Microsoft.
- I like Cheryl’s speech because she showed what she did and it was really cool.
- Cheryl being able to meet the voice of stitch
- I liked the power point because it was very cool and with a lot of information and it was inspirational.
- You can make video games.
- The way she spoke about how girls can do what they want.
- The video game.
- The event was perfect just the way it was.
- I learned a lot.
- You can go to college with a grant.
- I want to visit, Nintendo, Digipen, and Xbox.
- When someone said, “When somebody says no, say why”
- You get a 7g phone when you work at Microsoft
- Nothing. It’s already great.
- Traveling around and making games
- I liked learning about everybody’s stories and their take on technology.
- The video game stuff.
- I look forward to hearing more people tell their stories.
- What I liked best was the first lady who talked.
- The last woman’s story was very interesting and I admired her.
- Nothing. I really liked it. It was cool and fun.
- I am excited about going to Microsoft.
- Working at Microsoft, you make a lot of money.
- How much fun it is working at computer jobs.
- I am looking forward to Digipen and more speakers
- That it gave me a new job choice
- Do not take no for an answer, find out why.
- It was perfect.
- Engineers can design video games.
- Providing food and facts that I never knew.
- Places with making video games and designing them, and I look forward to that event.
- I liked the slideshow that Cheryl it was very interesting.
- That you don’t need a technical degree to work at Microsoft, and that there are a lot of choices in technology careers
- Nothing I like the way it is
- When the adults talked about their life was my favorite part.
- When you talked about the video games and how you worked in Disneyland
- I don’t know I think it’s good enough.
- I would like to see some video games and electronics
- The slideshow for Cheryl Platz
- Microsoft allows workers to follow passions.
- I liked Marta and how she talked money and travel and how I love both of these.
- Also I liked Cathi’s presentation.
- The most interesting was Cathi’s whole presentation
- Be another woman in the field
- I want to do all IGNITE events.
- I loved the fact that you can make a video in the technology field.
- That you can make video games
- More women working!
- I like how I learned lots of new things that I didn’t know about.
- More women are needed in technology and engineering.
- I really liked everything.
- I would want to go to digipen and all of the events you have.
- I liked the first lady who talked.
- That there are two ways to go to college without money.
- I liked the story the best
- That I can get money for school.
- More time
- Engineers can design video games.
- Providing food and facts that I never knew.
- Places with making video games and designing them, and I look forward to that event.
- I like that you can earn a lot of money and you can get a degree.
- That you can earn more money.
- I liked the slideshow. I also liked learning about different colleges.
- That you can pursue a degree doing more than one thing.
- I am excited about more IGNITE events.
- The part with the video games.
- That you don’t have to pay sometimes for college.
- You could show us how you make the video games.
- How to make the games.
- How they were people who helped create video games and how powerful their role are
- How Ms. Cheryl said she worked with stitch
- It was a great event.
- Go to colleges with technology
- The best part was the stories and guests.
- The things I can do in my life
- I would like to hear more women tell their stoires.
- Tours of places
- I had fun about learning about designing video games. Also, the college experiences.
- I liked hearing the women speak about their careers. Also learning about IGNITE.
- How you go on trips and your job pays for it. Also how you make video games.
- I really like it.
- People who came and told us about their jobs.
- How a lady designed video games
- I want to go to Microsoft.
Thank you so much for making this fabulous event possible.
Cathi
View the South Shore K-8 Chapter Page