On August 13, 2024, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Girls’ Tech Series Camp STEAM brought together more than 115 incoming sixth-grade girls from Gilroy Unified School District to inspire and motivate them to pursue interests in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). Girls’ Tech Camp STEAM is a free, half-day learning event that focuses on each STEAM area, with activities designed to educate, and enjoyed. Students came together at South Valley Middle School for a day filled with hands-on STEAM inspired activities, and to meet other students interested in the same areas.

“AWS InCommunities has made it a priority to support a variety of initiatives to help create the next generation of creative thinkers and future builders in the communities we call home,” said Paul Butler, community engagement manager for AWS InCommunities. “Women represent a quarter or less of workers in computing and engineering despite making up half of the workforce, and we want to do our part to inspire and support these students. We must continue developing and encouraging girls and young women to see the opportunities in tech.”

Gilroy Unified School District Superintendent, Anisha Munshi, welcomed students to the day, and in her opening remarks, she challenged attendees to closely examine the opportunities presented to them at Camp STEAM, because careers in STEAM are everywhere.  She reminded the girls, “You are the leaders of tomorrow, and we want to see you in those positions that you should consider as next generation STEAM experts.” 

Girls participated in interactive workshops that included programming a robot through simple coding, learned about animal husbandry and got up close and personal at a small petting zoo, designed and created their own art projects, built a simple electric circuit to create light-up greeting cards, and more. Given the rich history of agriculture in the area, specifically garlic growing and processing, all students left Camp STEAM with a DIY science kit that explored the science behind garlic.

GUSD STEAM Coordinator, and former fifth grade teacher, Jennifer Evans shared, “Camp STEAM is an important event for our rising sixth grade girls as they transition to middle school.  We know that middle school is when girls’ interest in math and science begins to wane, as their academic confidence might decrease.  We want to support all GUSD students in STEAM pursuits, and this event was the perfect introduction to the future career possibilities for attendees.”

AWS Girls’ Tech Series Camp STEAM is part of a collection of activities AWS is spearheading to support STEAM education in the Bay Area. In 2023, AWS hosted over 600 girls and young women from Hayward Unified School District at the Tech Interactive museum in San Jose, California for a Girls’ Tech Day. In addition to the Girls’ Tech Series Camp STEAM in Gilroy, AWS launched a $100,000 Gilroy community fund via nonprofit ChangeX to provide grants to local organizations and individuals driving positive impact in their communities.