Tech Trek Committee Introduces 2020 Selectees by Charmen Goehring
Although the Tech Trek camp at UC Davis did not occur this summer due to the pandemic, the Tech Trek committee wishes to introduce and honor the six girls that we selected for the 2020 season. We will be delivering a special 2020 camp tee along with a UCD water bottle to each of the girls and keeping in touch with them, offering opportunities to connect with other girls and to learn throughout the next year. So far, they have had a Zoom call with a scientist who works at Boeing on NASA projects.
Valeria Mena (Starr King K-8): She enjoys math, science, English and history. Valeria also takes part in choir, theater, Model UN, Rainbow Alliance (GSA), Running for Rhett and sewing club. Her essay focused on using math to create more equitable paths for immigration, an issue that has touched her family.
Jacquie Washington (Starr King K-8): She lists history, math, PE and science as her favorite courses. She also enjoys leadership, track, math and sewing clubs, and Rainbow Alliance. Jacquie’s essay discussed the depletion of resources and the potential migration to another planet in the future.
Izabella Mendoza (Will C. Wood): Izabella enjoys science and math as well as being on the student council as the 7th grade president and volunteering at a local elementary school. She also likes to write and practice a martial art called Muay Thai. Her essay focused on ways to use math and science to help the Earth.
Rianna Vong (Will C. Wood): Rianna told us she likes her math, science and language arts classes. She also participates in Mathletes and drawing, and even had a piece of her art displayed in a gallery. Her essay talked about the Pacific trash vortex.
Kayla Bautista (Billy Mitchell): Science and English are her favorite classes. She also participates in student council, track, science and robotics clubs. Kayla’s essay discussed ways to use science to help climate change, and she included a unique idea — The Butterfly Project.
Constance Prince (Billy Mitchell): Constance prefers science over her other classes. She enjoys horses and would like to work with equines in some capacity — she hasn’t decided yet between trainer and veterinarian. Her essay talked about the harmful effects of conveniences like air conditioning and showed off her comedic side.
Speech Trek News By Ann Arneill
Speech Trek, AAUW’s public speaking contest, is in its 14th year. The topic for 2021 is “Has social media helped or hindered the breaking down of barriers for women and girls?” We work with the 9 high schools in the Elk Grove Unified School District and recruit students to compete in the contest that will be held this Academic Year on February 20, 2021. Students deliver 5-6 minute speeches extemporaneously for cash prizes ranging from $200-$500. The local winner can go on to the statewide competition to compete for a prize of $1,500. The committee is currently busy figuring out how to modify the contest’s recruitment to the distance education environment being employed by the Elk Grove Unified School District. We are also exploring the possibility of conducting a virtual speech contest. We hope you will support us through any changes that we may need to make with the contest in these challenging times.