Helping Girls Innovate! #2

from SJ Mercury News 6/02/13 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz

Disney Keynote Speaker Estrin said it’s important for girls to have Role Models who encourage them toward tech-based careers. “Often around middle school, girls who are interested in math & science decide that it’s not cool,” she said. “We want to show them that being an engineer is not about being a nerd. It’s about solving problems and changing the world.”

Girls lose interest in Science & Math. Co Host – incubator nestGSV Kathleen Policy, who co-founded nestGSV with her husband, Kayvan Baroumand, knows first-hand the challenge of keeping girls interested in science and math. “I’m starting to see it with my own daughter, who is in 3rd grade, where girls are starting to pull away from the math classes,” Policy said. “This is what I’m trying to prevent, and yet it’s happening in my own house. That’s something we’re trying to address.” That much became clear when her daughter 9-year-old Yazmin Baroumand helped open the day with her own PowerPoint presentation. “I really wanted her to show all the girls that it doesn’t matter how old you are; be ambitious and just go after what you want,” Policy said.

The message “How Women can Change the World” resonated with Charlotte Acra, 10, of Menlo Park. “I’m really interested in how women can change the world and not just let the men do it,” she said. “I just think it would be really fun to start companies.” That attitude doesn’t surprise Girls Innovate! founder Kry – who is a former Vietnamese boat refugee who moved from Boston to Pleasanton about 18 months ago. “Kids are naturally curious and are really open-minded at this age,” Kry said. “Maybe they won’t get it right now. But you have to expose them and hope that the message will sink in over time.” Kry’s 9-year-old daughter, Elinor, is definitely curious about what her mom is up to.

For more information, go to www.girlsinnovate.org

Comments: What do you think of this? Do you have any ideas that would help them?