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Tech Trek

Outreach

Tech Trek is a science and math camp designed to develop interest, excitement and self-confidence in young women who will enter eighth grade in the fall. It features hands-on activities in math, science and related fields. All sleeping, eating, instructional and recreational facilities are located on a university campus where camps are held.

Where do we find our campers?

AAUW branch members work with public middle schools in their area. They approach principals, counselors and science and math teachers to see if they will join the program by recommending their students. Not all schools do and branches are often not able to work with all schools, especially if there are many schools in the area. Each branch has a certain number of scholarships to award among nominated students, limited by fundraising success. Organizations, groups of teachers, etc. may become a Tech Trek Partner by raising funds for a specific group of students. Parents cannot provide a scholarship for their daughters.

What is Tech Trek?

Campers are assigned either a math or a science core class that they attend daily, along with off-campus field trips to encourage maximum interaction and instruction.

Most important of all is the university campus experience. No matter what campus they attend, campers will have the opportunity to live the life of a college student for the week. They will learn to live with someone other than a sibling or a relative, share community bathrooms, eat dorm food and explore the campus area under the careful supervision of camp staff. They also will interact with women who model a high degree of science, mathematics or computer expertise as part of their daily lives.

Tech Trek is designed to provide every camper with exposure to all core subjects taught, as well as a selection of rotating labs designed to explore individual specialties more deeply. Hands-on activities in core classes, rotating labs and field trips at Tech Trek camps help to make math and science fun as well as educational.

Instructors include credentialed middle school teachers and women currently engaged professionally in math, science or technology fields. Campers will be exposed to evening programs in fields such as astronomy, engineering, marine biology, and environmental studies to enhance the learning experience and introduce students to a variety of potential career areas.

Camp Directors have no problem identifying interested and competent teachers, as the word spreads every year from those who do participate, with most wanting to return again and again. Several teachers have returned every year since Tech Trek began. Teachers in Tech Trek camps spend long hours gathering materials and preparing, all of which helps make the week an awesome and exhilarating experience.

AAUW member volunteers serve as counselors (surrogate mothers), nurses, classroom aides, and fill in as needed. They provide the opportunity to bring like-minded middle school girls together for a week of involvement in math and science enrichment activities, which are fun while educational. Junior Counselors, former Tech Trek campers who return as helpers when they are in high school, are now an indispensable part of program. Recent college grads (or high school seniors) serve as Senior Counselors.

Please contact Lisa Beauchamp, UCD Camp Director at Lisa@techtrekcamp.com if you have any questions.