If you would like to make a donation to provide a Tech Trek scholarship, please call Mary Bufton for details at 408-371-1487 or via e-mail. The cost to send one student to Tech Trek is $850, but smaller donations can be bundled together, so any amount is welcome. The girls report back to us that this camp changes their perceptions of college and career opportunities in very positive ways. Scroll down to learn our process to select students.
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to Tech Trek please make your check to ISPF – AAUW – SCCO and send it to Mary Bufton, 2329 Price Way, San Jose, CA 95124.
Process:
In January, letters are sent to 7th grade science and math teachers at Peterson, Hyde, Lawson, Sheppard, Buchser, Cupertino, Kennedy and Sunnyvale Middle Schools. Each teacher may nominate up to 5 girls. Nominated 7th grade students don’t need to have the highest grades in the class must have at least a B-), but they must be interested in and excited about science or math, and be likely to profit from the experience. We’re looking especially for those students with interest and potential, who may have limited access to programs such as this.
- We ask the teachers to nominate girls that:
- Show an interest in learning new things
- Cooperate with teachers and fellow students
- Follow directions carefully
- Show respect for other students
- Participate in class discussions
- Work well in group situations
- Demonstrate responsibility
Tech Trek – 2014
Tech Trek 2014
We usually receive between 60 and 70 nominations. A letter and application is sent to each nominee telling them about Tech Trek. Every girl must fill out the application and write an essay. We generally receive applications and essays from about 50 girls. Our committee reads the essays and using a rubric to selects 11 girls to be interviewed. The girls and their parents are interviewed. We select 7 girls that we feel show an interest in Math and Science and that hopefully by going to Tech Trek will spark that interest and encourage them to go to college and also to major in a STEM subject. AAUW Sunnyvale-Cupertino has a reputation at Stanford Tech Trek for choosing exceptional girls to send to camp. In the last 7 years 4 of our girls have been selected to be Jr counselors and 2 of them have become Sr. Counselors.
Studies have shown that 68% of both boys and girls in fourth grade are naturally interested in science. But by eighth grade, this interest has dropped dramatically, especially for the girls. That is why we feel it is important to support girls interested in science during the middle school years and to encourage them to continue their studies in science and math throughout high school and into college. Respondents to a 1998 survey of former campers also indicated much higher levels of science and math courses taken in their high school years than the national average, as well as increased participation in AP science and math courses. They also exceeded national norms in terms of college attendance. Greater percentages of former campers indicated that they intended to major in science- and math-oriented fields than the percentage of women in such fields nationally. All participants credited Tech Trek camp for encouraging their interest in science- and math-related careers.