As it stands, a small percentage of students entering the engineering field are women – an average of 15%.  This number is a good sign, in the “1980s approximately 6% of engineers in the U.S. were women” (ASME.org).  Reasons for this have traditionally pointed to a lack of role models and various societal misconceptions of what it means to be an engineer.  Downey Unified School District is putting their finger to the pulse of this issue and has been doing so for two years in a row.

Sticking to their vision, Downey Unified School District has been a part of the growing Femineers movement and has developed a strong partnership with local university Cal Poly Pomona.  Cal Poly Pomona has been a valuable partner to the district, leading their students and cultivating interests.  In a statement, DUSD’s Director of CTE and STEM notes that, “We are very proud that Downey Unified is represented so thoroughly within the Femineers program” (thedowneypatriot.com).

We recently had the opportunity to touch base with the participants at from Doty, Stauffer, and Griffiths middle schools, and they shed light on their experience in the program over the last 1-2 years.  When asked to define this in one word, DUSD’s Femineers said: Inspirational, empowering, unforgettable, encouraging, challenging, awesome, adventurous, and unique.  These ladies made it very clear how special being a Femineer is for their future.

One student wrote, “The whole experience opened my eyes to multiple new possibilities.  I now know that I can do many things that I didn’t know I was capable of doing.” Overall, the response from DUSD’s Femineers illustrates that they are being challenged and presented with opportunities to pursue their dreams and are gaining a competitive advantage for their future in this field of study.

This year’s MADE Work Experience Program is off and running.  Today the Bayha Group visited the Southern California Gas Company’s facility in Downey, CA where the final set of student/employer interview sessions was being held.  It was quite a sight to see; students were dressed to impress and the location was absolutely amazing.

Downey Unified students participated in what will be the first steps towards an eye opening summer.  By now, they have completed mock interviews, group sessions at school, built resumes, and are now ready to begin the next two months in a professional setting.  We spoke with students who are matched with employers such as ASPIRE (a local after-school program for youth), the YMCA, law offices, and also a security firm that is operated nationwide, among others.

This program has opened up the door for students by giving them a look into the future and what it means to be a professional.  Needless to say, we are looking forward to hearing more about their upcoming experiences once the program culminates.

This summer, Downey Unified will send two students to UCLA’s Nanoscience Lab Summer Institute.  Through this one-of-a-kind program, these students are introduced to the rigors of college-level course work and are tasked with hands-on experiments.  Not only is this a fun and exciting 5-day program for DUSD’s students, it teaches them the key concepts of nanoscale phenomena that make nanoscience and nanotechnology one of the most exciting fields of research today.

A few days ago we caught up with last summer’s participants.  We were curious about their experience at UCLA and how it affected their senior year of high school.  One student from Warren High School voiced that, “It helped me figure out what I want from my college experience, even though I plan on studying something that’s not directly related to nanoscience.”  The 5-day program encourages students to work and collaborate on their projects and presentations, allowing them to share skills and build each other up.

Through seminars, experiments, data collection, and observations students learn the various approaches to nanoscience.  On top of this, UCLA’s staff teaches participants how the technology is already being applied across different scientific fields.  Another student from Downey shared her experience.  “I really liked working with people who are doing nanoscience and developing these new creations,” she expressed, “reaching into the mind of someone who is so much more experienced and educated than I am, and being able to see what they’ve figured out and how they’re changing the world.”  If you want to change the world, you have to change your ‘self.’

UCLA has worked hard to create an environment where students can do just that.  By working in teams, with college students and professors, content that is otherwise overwhelming is within grasp.  It is because of this kind of program that Downey students continue to have doors opened and are exposed to nurturing, challenging experiences.

For more information, visit the Nanoscience Lab Summer Institute website