On April 1, 2025, 4th and 5th-grade IGNITE Students from Mountainview Elementary School joined a virtual IGNITE Show-and-Tell Mini-Panel featuring inspiring women in tech. The event was led by Natasha Bauch, Sr. Technical Program Manager, Microsoft, and Siyuan Zhou, Senior Software Engineer, Google, and facilitated by Wennahale Navarrete with tech support from Azka Hafeez.
The students were thrilled to hear from professionals working at two companies they all recognized, especially when Siyuan shared that she works on the Google phone, a product many of the students were already familiar with and excited about. Both Panelists shared personal stories about how they discovered their interests and the paths they took into STEM careers.
Students asked thoughtful questions like: What’s your favorite part of your day? and What did you want to be when you were my age?
Panelists encouraged students to enjoy being young and to focus on the things they love right now. They shared that hobbies and interests can grow into meaningful careers over time and stressed the importance of building relationships and connections with others.
“I really liked learning about their lives and how they got to their current positions. Their answers really helped me realize that I can do those things too. I really liked asking questions and listening to the volunteers’ answers. I liked learning about their different careers and the pathways they took to get to them.”
4th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me to know that women are very involved in STEM. Also, that I shouldn’t be afraid to try something new.”
5th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to look more into STEM jobs. It opened up more options for me and many others, too. My favorite thing I learned was about the volunteers and when they answered the questions.”
5th Grade IGNITE Student
STUDENTS SURVEYED FOLLOWING PARTICIPATION IN THIS EVENT REPORTED...
93%
INTERESTED IN STEM
73%
KNOW MORE ABOUT STEM CAREERS & THE BENEFITS OF WORKING IN STEM
72%
FEEL MORE CONFIDENT
IN PURSUING STEM
73%
GAINED PERSPECTIVE & FEEL MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE
Additional Student Feedback:
“It inspired me to dream and love STEM. They helped me understand what they do.” – 4th Grade IGNITE Student
“I felt inspired when they told me how they chose their career. I think it’s really good to know what a career is. I liked learning about how they started their careers. I think it was really interesting.” – 4th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me because the women who work at Google or Microsoft have similar problems to mine! They inspire me a lot because they were born in different countries or states. My favorite thing I learned today was that one woman had the courage to approach her favorite pianist.” – 5th Grade IGNITE Student
“It helped me learn who the professionals are. This helped me choose a career. My favorite thing was asking questions. The women were very nice.” – 4th Grade IGNITE Student
“I was inspired by how much work the volunteers put into their jobs. It was very inspiring. My favorite thing I learned today was some of the volunteers’ backstories. I loved their stories and them.” – 5th Grade IGNITE Student
“It made me feel like I was welcomed, and the other people had things in common with me. My favorite thing was asking questions and hearing them talk about their past.” – 4th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me to be part of IGNITE. My favorite part was learning about the people.” – 5th Grade IGNITE Student
“I feel like I don’t have just one choice for the future. I feel happy and excited now.” – 5th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me by telling me that mistakes are okay. They can even help you by giving you a lesson.” – 5th Grade IGNITE Student
“It helped me understand more about STEM careers and inspired me to think about STEM clubs in middle school. My favorite thing was asking questions.” – 5th Grade IGNITE Student
“I learned more about how you can try different things and still end up at a cool job. I liked learning about their life experiences. I really liked asking questions and listening to the answers. I liked learning that it’s okay to make mistakes and that they can help you learn and grow.” – 4th Grade IGNITE Student
“One thing that inspired me was them talking about themselves. The next thing that inspired me was thinking about my own life.” – 5th Grade IGNITE Student
Thank you to our IGNITE Volunteers and Educators:
- Natasha Bauch
- Siyuan Zhou
- Wennahale Navarrete
- Azka Hafeez
- Stacey De Wet
- Kelsey Norman
About IGNITE Worldwide:
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world. Learn more at igniteworldwide.org.