I admit to being a little nervous when I arrived on Saturday morning to volunteer as a mentor. What wisdom did I have to share? Who would be my mentee? Would we have anything in common? Would she even like me? When I met Nateja, any apprehension I had about the experience melted away. Nateja is a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula and a freshman in high school. She likes the color blue, is passionate about educating her community about the dangers of drunk driving, and is interested in what it means to be a good leader. I was inspired by her love of science, which I discovered when we extracted DNA from a strawberry. This kid is going places. And you know what? I am willing to bet that every mentor who participated in Girls Day felt the same way about their mentee. It was an honor to welcome these young women to Microsoft and I look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make on the world.
– Thea Nilsson, Civic Engagement Manger
“Science is my favorite subject because I experience so many breathtaking moments.” – Nateja, age 14
Boys &Girls Clubs of the Peninsula (BGCP) is committed to providing low-income youth in our community with the opportunities that enable future college or career success. Our clubs and school sites are unique environments that combine fun with enriching activities that give our youth exposure to ideas and individuals who can help them dream big. One focus at BGCP is connecting youth with pathways to STEM, a growing career track, especially given the abundance of opportunities here in Silicon Valley.
Girls Day 2015 participants at Microsoft Silicon Valley
On April 11, Microsoft hosted Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula’s 10th Annual Girls’ Day. Girls’ Day 2015 paired 68 girls, grades 5th-8th, with 40 female adult mentors in a one‐day program exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers through fun, hands‐on, engaging workshops. Girls’ Day is designed to inspire and empower middle school girls to explore STEM‐related career fields by pairing them with women mentors working in STEM career paths who participate with and guide the girls through four interactive, engaging STEM‐themed workshops.
This year’s theme, What Drives You?, encouraged girls to explore their “sparks” as they mapped their future goals with their mentor. Girls’ Day provided each participant with three engaging workshops from building a motors to extracting DNA from strawberries. The keynote workshop, Find Your Drive, was led by Stanford d.school students and provided a framework for girls to understand the concept of motivation, explore their passions, and set goals for their future.
A few highlights from Girls’ Day include the following:
- 68 energetic and engaged girls, grades 5th-8th, attended Girls’ Day
- 40 mentors, including 4 from Microsoft, participated in Girls’ Day, providing 280 hours of quality mentoring for our youth 94% of girls were able to identify a STEM career in which they were interested 100% of volunteers reported, time constraints aside, they would be interested in volunteering with a Girls’ Day event in the future
Thanks to the support of Microsoft, our girls had an enriching experience this year. Volunteer support and engagement helps make events like Girls’ Day successful. More exciting opportunities exist to partner with BGCP in impacting the lives of our youth. To learn more about how you can get involved, please contact Marilyn Hylton at [email protected]. You can also follow BGCP on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
