By Isabelle Wolfer, WiSci STEAM Camp participant
Truly, being here at WiSci has been amazing. Classes day in and day out, surrounded by girls who you can relate to. Arriving into this scenario was not as shocking to me as it was to many other girls, and did not take much getting used to.
In 2013, I participated in a beta session App Camp for Girls that was only it's first year, and now it has spread across the U.S.A. and into Canada. We were divided into three teams and each team was responsible for creating a quiz app by the end of the week. The interface we used was relatively simple, and yet we learned so many unique skills while working in our groups. Patience, cooperation, and marketing basics are but a few of those culminated abilities.
My experience with Women in Tech at that local level was both inspiring and fun, getting me interested in the STEM fields. My team and I pushed through to the end, despite our difficulties, and I feel that we really learned how to communicate with others during that time. I made so many friends at that camp, but unfortunately, at that time, I had reached the maximum age limit and would not be able to return. I absolutely flourished in that environment, and when it was over I planned on pursuing a STEM career.
Now that I am at an international level with Women in Tech, it has impacted me on a deeper level- just how real and widespread the issue of gender imbalance is. I can still learn and apply knowledge here at camp but this time, when I head home, I'll feel ready to take on the world.
Isabelle lives in Oregon, where she is a rising junior at Liberty High School. Her hobbies include reading, drawing, and being in the marching band.