Girls will go full STEAM ahead during CI's second annual STEM-STEAM Hackathon

CSU Chanel Islands News

Camarillo, Calif., March 16, 2016 — An estimated 100 Ventura County girls ages 9 to 12 will collaborate with female mentors during the second annual CSU Channel Islands (CI) STEAM Hackathon on Saturday, April 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.Through a partnership with the Small Business Institute at CI and an educational technology company called SOCIHACKS, girls from low-income families will spend a day working with Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) mentors to create websites and public service announcement videos regarding the environment in honor of earth month.The girls will be divided into 10 teams of 10 girls with two or three role models in each team.“The goal is to provide a collaborative, hands-on Hackathon where girls will work together in teams to develop websites and videos that will be shared online,” said Assistant Professor of Marketing Susan Andrzejewski, Ph.D. “The youth will present their work to their peers, faculty and parents/guardians by the end of the day.”The doors will open to the public at 1 p.m. in Malibu Hall, Room 100, on the CI campus for those who would like to see the girls present their work at 2 p.m.“SOCIHACKS: Hackathons for social good” is a company aimed at giving low income youth access to technology and exposure to STEAM careers that need them.Through these hands-on events, participants explore career paths in science, technology, engineering, art and math. The goal is to have the girls communicate, collaborate, think critically and creatively to develop 21st century global economy skills.Through partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, and civic organizations, SOCIHACKS offers the curriculum at no cost to youth or their families.According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women make up 47 percent of the work force, but are poorly represented in well-paying science, engineering and technology careers.The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that women make up 39 percent of chemists ...

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