Category Archives: Tech Trek

All posts related to AAUW Sacramento’s Tech Trek program, a science and math camp designed to develop interest, excitement and self-confidence in young women who will enter eighth grade in the fall.

Tech Trek News

Tech Trek News By Lana Widman

The Tech Trek Committee is in full swing getting ready for this year’s Tech Trek camps.

Tech Trek will be sending six girls to the Davis Camp and three girls to the Virtual Camp.   The Davis Camp will be held July 13 – 19 and the Virtual camp is July 20 – 25.  Our campers will provide members with an account of their experiences during the September branch meeting.  To learn more about what happens at Tech Trek, please check out the Tech Trek website.

The Tech Trek website has been revamped, and has a lot of great information and photos.  Access the site by clicking <here>.

We have had a number of members contact the Tech Trek Committee to volunteer to help with setup/takedown duties at the Davis Camp.  If anyone else is interested, please contact Lana Widman.  Lana’s contact information can be found in the Membership Directory. Volunteer opportunities include:

  • Pre-camp: Saturday, July 12 – 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Set up laptops, prepare and organize class materials, set up for registration
  • First day: Sunday, July 13 – 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.  Camper registration, greeters, dorm greeters.
  • During camp: Tuesday, July 15 – 6 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.  SAFE Credit Union Budget Cents event.  Set up/breakdown, salespersons.  Volunteers play the role of salespersons encouraging campers to buy services, housing and vehicles they may/may not need.  Volunteers will get brief training and should plan to stay for the entire three-hour time slot.
  • Last day: Saturday, July 19 – 9 a.m. to noon. Breakdown/pack up camp materials, take items to cars and storage unit.  Volunteers should be mobile and be able to lift boxes.

If anyone is interested in joining the Tech Trek Committee for next year, please let me know.  Planning for next year is already starting!

Did You Know?

Did You Know? By Karen Burley

Legacy Giving

For those of you who love this organization and want to see AAUW continue to fight for equity for all into the future, you can become a Legacy Circle member. This is a gift that you leave from your estate and there is no minimum amount. There are many ways to set this up and you can contact me for more information. We have about 140 Legacy Circle members in California.in our branch we have 11 members, the most of any branch in California. Please join us!

Scholarship Applications

In the March newsletter we provided information regarding our branch scholarships. This is a reminder that the Scholarship Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year must be received by April 30, 2025 for consideration by the scholarship committee. Please get the word out to potential applicants you may know.

Tech Trek Volunteering

Tech Trek will be held July 12-19 at UC Davis. If you are interested in volunteering, send an email to the Sacramento Branch coordinator, Lana Widman. Lana’s contact information can be found in the Membership Directory.

Sunshine Chair

Pat Winkle is our Sunshine Chair and needs to hear from you if you know members who might appreciate a get well, sympathy or “thinking of you” card. As she doesn’t know everyone, she needs your help in remembering our friends. Her contact information is in the directory.

Printable Newsletter Articles

Click <here> for Printable Newsletter Articles.

Tech Trek News

Tech Trek News By Lana Widman

The Tech Trek Committee is in full swing getting ready for this year’s Tech Trek camps.

We have received our nominations from the teachers, and we will be conducting interviews to select our campers.  We are sending six campers to the UC Davis camp July 13 – 19 and three campers to the Virtual Camp July 20 – 25.

The Tech Trek website has been revamped, and has a lot of great information and photos.  Access the site by clicking <here>.

The UC Davis camp committee is asking for volunteers to help with:

  • Pre-camp: Saturday, July 12 – 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Set up laptops, prepare and organize class materials, set up for registration
  • First day: Sunday, July 13 – 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.  Camper registration, greeters, dorm greeters.
  • During camp: Tuesday, July 15 – 6 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.  SAFE Credit Union Budget Cents event.  Set up/breakdown, salespersons.  Volunteers play the role of salespersons encouraging campers to buy services, housing and vehicles they may/may not need.  Volunteers will get brief training and should plan to stay for the entire three-hour time slot.
  • Last day: Saturday, July 19 – 9 a.m. to noon. Breakdown/pack up camp materials, take items to cars and storage unit.  Volunteers should be mobile and be able to lift boxes.

If you are interested in joining in the fun, send an email to the Sacramento Branch coordinator, Lana Widman. Lana’s contact information can be found in the Membership Directory.

Speech Trek News

Speech Trek News By Ann Arneill

The Speech Trek Committee has completed recruitment for Elk Grove High School students to compete in the contest with this year’s topic:  “Climate change is happening.  The effects are widespread and touch upon almost all aspects of our life on this planet. Select an area of impact and explore the effects climate change is having on women in the USA, and around the world.”   

The contest will be held on Feb. 15, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cosumnes River College, Room Winn 150. Please note that it is being held on the third weekend in February. It is starting at 10 a.m. to make it more convenient for AAUW members to attend. We hope to see you there! No registration is required.

We now look forward to the Speech Trek Challenge that will be held via Zoom on Jan. 11, 2025 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  Members will have a chance to discuss the topic in advance of the contest to pique their interest. Groups will discuss the questions: 1) Can you think of any other effects of climate change on women and girls in the USA and the world? 2) How do you think the student contestants will approach the topic? 3) What do you think the solutions could be to these adverse effects?  We hope to see you there for a lively discussion of this important topic! Please register <here> to receive the Zoom link on Jan. 11th.

Tech Trek Needs You!

Tech Trek Needs You! By Kathleen Deaver

It’s fall. The leaves are changing. The days are shorter. The temperatures are milder.
And…

It’s time for the Tech Trek Committee to commence the business of selecting and
sponsoring exceptional seventh-grade girls to attend AAUW STEM Camps (Virtual and
UC Davis In-Person) during the summer of 2025!!!

Tech Trek is one of AAUW’s most important programs. Just ask those past campers and
their families or the middle school science teachers who nominated the girls, and the
camp staff and volunteers, what it means to them. Or just ask someone who has been a
member of the Sacramento Branch Tech Trek Committee. It’s exciting and rewarding!

There’s also much work and many tasks to complete. We would like to expand our
committee to welcome new ideas and viewpoints. No matter what task you may be
interested in or how much time you can contribute, we welcome you!

Please contact me, Kathleen Deaver, if you need more information. My contact information is in the Membership Directory. We invite you to join the Tech Trek Committee!

I hope to hear from you!

Did You Know?

From the September Program

The 2024-2025 budget was approved as presented at the members program.

Here are some photos from 2024 Tech Trek:

The full Tech Trek camp at UC Davis

Sacramento Branch Tech Trek girls

One of our Tech Trek girls, Mackenzie Thor.


Sunshine Chair

Pat Winkle is our Sunshine Chair and needs to hear from you if you know members who might appreciate a get well, sympathy or “thinking of you” card. As she doesn’t know everyone, she needs your help in remembering our friends. Her contact information is in the directory.

Printable Newsletter Articles

Click here for Printable Newsletter Articles.

September Program

HERE Sacramento Branch of AAUW Presents

“The Rights Stuff”, Season Two, Episode One

The right to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

Lights, Camera, Action!!

Saturday, Sept. 14 10:30 AM at Arcade Library, 2443 Marconi Ave., Sacramento

September Program presented by Hedda Smithson and Barbara Smith. We focus our camera on one of the most important programs offered through AAUW CA, Tech Trek. Please register for this meeting no later than Sept. 11 with Eventbrite by clicking HERE. Remember to wear a name tag but know that if you forget or don’t have one, a name tag will be provided. We want to get to know you!! Click <here> to obtain the wonderful flyer created by Liz Jordan containing a QR code for easy access to our website which you can print and post and distribute.

Marlys Huez’s Tech Trek committee included Kathleen Deaver, Lori Franz, Joyce Humphrey, Mary Miller, Monique Stovall and Gloria Yost. Generous donations from branch members funded six seventh-grade girls for the Tech Trek camp at UC Davis; two others attended virtually. Teachers from W.E. Mitchell Middle School in Rancho Cordova and Will C. Wood in Sacramento nominated students to be considered by the Tech Trek committee. Each student completed a written application, submitted an essay and was interviewed as a part of the selection process. The committee held an orientation meeting in June where Tech Trek bears and goody bags for camp were given and the campers were able to meet one another. The camp was held July 14 to 20. Branch members could visit on July 18 for an intense day of following the very busy schedule.

Last month the committee, with the addition of Ann Arneill and Shari Beck, coordinators of Speech Trek, met with the students to help them with presentations each will make on Sept. 14.

This amazing and life-changing program was the brainchild of AAUW member Marie Wolbach. The first Tech Trek was held at Stanford in 1998. Our branch immediately participated by sending one girl. Since that time, Sacramento has supported campers nearly every year.

Lights and Camera have done their job. Now it is time for Action!

  • Register for this event! Click HERE
  • Bring a neighbor, friend or relative. The event is open to the public.
  • Meet the campers and ask them questions.
  • Volunteer to help with next year’s group.
  • Vote to approve our budget.
  • Donate to Tech Trek – this year the cost was $1,170 per girl.

Tech Trek Update

Tech Trek Summer 2024 By Marlys Huez

It is less than two months until we send our six girls to UC Davis Tech Trek Camp, July 14-20.  We are so proud that our branch has recruited and is able to send them, along with two additional girls to virtual camp.

The eight campers have completed their applications and will be signing up soon for one of the exciting STEM core classes, which will run the week of their camp. They will include anatomy and physiology, astronomy and space, high-energy engineering, storytelling with data and wearable technology — all stimulating subjects.

Our Tech Trek Committee continues to plan an orientation with our campers on June 22 and will make sure everything goes smoothly when they go to camp.  We have been busy making sure all of the paperwork is complete on Camp Doc and they will be ready for camp.

UC Davis welcomes any branch member who would like to visit the camp to do so on Visit Day, Thursday, July 18, from 9 a.m. to noon.  Also, any branch member who would like to volunteer for a day or a few hours during the week of camp may do so by contacting Marlys Huez, Tech Trek branch coordinator, whose contact information can be found in the Membership Directory.

It’s Exciting Times for Tech Trek

It’s Exciting Times for Tech Trek By Marlys Huez

On Sunday, March 3, the time arrived to meet the vibrant young women who have applied to represent our branch at Tech Trek Camp.

After diligent work by Gloria Yost and Kathleen Deaver with the cooperation and assistance of teachers at 24 middle schools, eight applications were completed and successfully loaded into the CampDoc system.  The committee was able to use the conference room at Bel Air Market on Arden Way as a meeting place and interview location.  The girls, all seventh graders, arrived for their interview with eager parents and some with other family members accompanying them.

Selection to attend camp at UC Davis, or even to attend a virtual camp, can be an opportunity that changes a young woman’s life.  It can ignite an existing spark of interest in STEM, feed strong interests in a field of study, or simply create an insatiable desire to attend college.

The committee’s task was to evaluate the students’ enthusiasm for STEM fields, the availability of opportunities to the student, and evidence of curiosity and potential.  Along with teacher evaluations and essays submitted by the girls, the committee then met to select the six applicants who would have the opportunity to attend the residential camp and the two who would be offered the virtual camp.  Working together, Marlys Huez, Tech Trek coordinator, with committee members Monique Stovall and Mary Miller, reached consensus on the girls who would attend.  The letters have gone out to the campers, the camp directors have been notified and we eagerly look forward to the next steps of Tech Trek.  We encourage anyone with an interest in this important project to join the 2024 committee and volunteer to help with camp activities in person or virtually in July.

Speech Trek and Tech Trek News

17th Annual Speech Trek Contest Celebrates Its Winner By Ann Arneill

On Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, the Speech Trek Committee held its Speech Trek contest via Zoom, with great success.  An audience listened to three high school students from three Elk Grove Unified School District high schools speak on the topic: If an educated population is essential to a nation’s prosperity, then how can we ensure a robust public school curriculum that is accessible to all and teaches historically accurate information?  In these times when states and school boards are censoring the content of school curriculum, this topic is very timely.

First-place winner was Alyssa Wong, from Laguna Creek High School, receiving $500.  Second-place winner, Nandi Moyo from Cosumnes High School, received $300.  The third-place winner was Maryluz Sandig from Laguna Creek High School, who received $100.

The Sacramento Branch’s winning speaker is entered in the AAUW CA Speech Trek Semi-finals.   If Alyssa Wong makes it to into the top three, she will be invited to compete in the finals for $1,500.  She will also present her speech at the May branch meeting.

Virginia Kidd, Ph.D., communications professor emeritus at CSUS, and our very own members Liz Jordan and Linda Patterson judged the event.  AAUW member Kathleen Deaver served as timekeeper for the contest.  Thanks to branch member Karen Burley for technical assistance.

The Speech Trek Committee would like to expand its membership.  Working on Speech Trek is very gratifying.  You are helping high school students develop a skill that is no longer taught in public high schools. Public speaking will help them in their future schooling and their careers. Committee members can choose from a variety of tasks with varying degrees of responsibility.  Please consider volunteering for this committee.  Contact Shari Beck at gsbeck@surewest.net or Ann Arneill at ann_arneill@comcast.net.

TECH TREK has TREKERS! By Marlys Huez

The Tech Trek Committee is making great progress in preparing to send campers from our branch to the July 14-20 Tech Trek Camp at UC Davis.

Thanks to the diligent work of our wonderful Tech Trek committee recruiters, Gloria Yost and Kathleen Deaver, the applications for the July UC Davis camp are starting to arrive.  Gloria and Kathleen have done a great job with contacting principals/counselors and teachers, and working with parents to produce completed applications for another quality class of young women with interests in STEM fields.

We are becoming expert with the application and tracking software, CampDoc.  Chair Marlys Huez has proactively worked with the state and camp coordinators to keep our process and data responsibilities moving forward. Also, Lori Franz and Mary Miller co-chairs from last year, have happily rejoined the Tech Trek Committee along with Monique Stovall and Joyce Humphrey.  We are excited to be able to meet the applicants soon.

For those members who would like some limited, but very fun, interaction with the camps and campers, we have been asked to recruit volunteers, including a dorm mom, to help out during the Davis camp week.  Volunteers for a day are also welcome!  Please consider!