General Meeting December 9, 2023 Tech Trek campers, now 8th graders, shared their camp experiences. For more information contact us or visit our Facebook 
Tech Trek
This June 2023 there were two very successful in person Tech Trek camps for girls who entered the 8th grade in the fall. Each camp had professional STEM women’s dinner where each table was composed of a group of girls and women STEM professionals.
The Florida Atlantic University Camp Core Courses are available: Qualcomm Wearable Tech, Structural Engineering. Neuroscience and Marine Biology.
Microbit Adventures, Chemistry is Fun, How a Bullet Journal Can Be Your BEST Life Hack! How?, Nature Based Science Apps, Conservation/Archery, Flip Grid Fun in Action, Ozobot Obstacle Course – Challenge Accepted, Makey- Makey, Music!, Genome Editing, Drone Search and Rescue Mission, and Energy 101-Empower Yourself!!
The Stetson University Camp Core Courses we’re: Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab, Marine Science, Environmental Science, The Fantastic and Dynamics of Flight. Adaptation Stations, Passive Solar Houses. Solar Cookin’, Solar Panel Engineering, Robots in Action, Fly Lab, Flip Grid, Heart Valve Replication Lab, and Can We Solve it?
If you would like to see the presentation about the 2023 Camp , go to https://flipgrid.com/5e3992b4.
Our 2023 AAUW Suncity/SouthShore campers will join us December 2023 at out holiday celebration. More information will be sent the fall member email. Fire more information email us mailto:aauwsccsouthshore@gmail.com
SCC/SouthShore Tech Trek Camper Alicia (right) and her teammate present and test their bridge design named “Blueberry” at the 2019 camp.
2019 Campers Alicia, Madison and Jenedith with award certificates
Studies have shown that while girls and boys have the same interest levels in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects through elementary school, their focus changes in middle school. The Tech Trek camp helps re-energize girls’ interest in STEM subjects at that critical age. The camp is a week-long overnight camp at a college campus, with girls attending from all over the state. At the camp, they receive hands-on experience with STEM subjects, such as building a small bridge and writing an app, meet women STEM role models, and participate in leadership skills development activities.
2018 Campers Kaylee and Tamyra
Our AAUW branch selects and sponsors girls from the Beth Shields Middle School in Ruskin to attend the camps. In addition, some members help at the camps as counselors, presenters, etc.
2017 Campers Beatriz and Kimmie
This year, selected from about 250 applicants from across Florida, the girls spent a week on one of two college campuses: Stetson University, Deland, or Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter. Selection to Tech Trek affords each girl the opportunity to live the college experience on campus for a week, sharing a dorm suite, exploring STEM interests with new friends, and sampling the college academic experience. After breakfast in the school dining hall, mornings were devoted to a core course such as engineering, neuroscience, marine biology or computer coding. Back to the dining hall for lunch, then on to afternoon workshops spread over four days including DNA, Chemistry, Cyber Security, Zumba, Finance and PowerPoint. Downtime in the dorm before dinner each evening allowed for calls home (the only time the girls had access to their phones!). Group evening activities after dinner continued until quiet time, then lights out to sleep and prepare for another busy day tomorrow. Non-stop, action-packed days punctuated with the fun of new friends and new experiences.
2016 Campers Perla and Taylor
Wednesday evening the girls participated in the Women’s Professional Night at dinner where they met and were able to ask questions of local professional women regarding their individual career paths. On the last full day of camp – Friday – each camp toured a local STEM-focused location.
2015 Campers Elysia and Marisol
Campers were literally hand-picked based on their nomination, application and essay, and personal interviews with local AAUW Branch members. They are smart, funny, personable, and talented, all with unlimited futures. And all deserving of this unique experience. Tech Trek Florida 2019 once again proved itself to be a Win-Win equation.
Once again, our Branch will partner this school year (2019-2020) with Beth Shields Middle School to identify 7th grade girls who demonstrate an aptitude for math and science. We met the new principal, Colleen Carr at our April Pizza Party for the 2019 campers. Mrs. Carr is very supportive and appreciative of our Tech Trek outreach and expressed her desire to continue our partnership for the benefit of her deserving 7th grade girls.
Because Tech Trek relies on corporate and personal donations to cover the $1,100 cost per camper, please consider making an individual donation. No amount is too small. And it is never too soon to write that fully tax-deductible check! Checks should be payable to AAUW FL Supporting Foundation, Inc. and mailed to: Tech Trek Florida, PO Box 2938, Jupiter, FL 33468. (Please put “Tech Trek” on memo line of your check.)
For more information about Florida Tech Trek, please visit the Florida Tech Trek website: https://techtrek-fl.aauw.net/
Other Local STEM Support
We also look to partner with local schools on STEM related activities. Recently, we attended a session that was sponsored by Hillsborough Community College in conjunction with Verizon Innovative Learning. The session was the capstone to an entrepreneurship STEM day camp for middle school girls in Hillsborough County. We listened to and viewed great product design proposals developed by the middle school campers. In addition, one of our members assisted at a follow-up session later in the year.