Tech Trek Supports STEM Education for Eighth Grade Girls
AAUW Venice helps to make a difference in the lives of girls with Florida Tech Trek. Florida Tech Trek is a weeklong STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) residence camp designed to create interest, excitement and self-confidence in girls entering eighth grade. Girls from all over the state of Florida attend camps in June to learn, grow and have fun. This can be a life changing experience! The cost for each camper in 2023 was $1300, but it continues to rise each year- parents of the girls are asked only to contribute $50.00- the remainder is made up by donations.
The Venice branch of AAUW is responsible for many aspects of the camp. We receive nominations from teachers at local schools. The nominees fill out applications (including an essay) and then are interviewed by AAUW members. The final selection of girls from our area to attend Florida Tech Trek is announced in April. Volunteers fill many roles in making the camp run smoothly, including spending the week as dorm monitors.
At Tech Trek, girls are immersed in a world that empowers and encourages them to think about themselves as future scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and computer specialists. Campers take part in activities, like building and programming robots, extracting their own DNA, learning how computer simulations are used to predict weather patterns, and much more! Tech Trek has been shown to significantly increase girls’ self-confidence and their interest in and excitement about the STEM fields.
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Non-traditional Scholarship Fund
The Venice Branch of the American Association of University Women is proud to annually present Non-traditional College Scholarships to deserving women. These women are non-traditional students because they have had their education plans disrupted due to personal, family or financial pressures. The demands of today’s marketplace have made a college education extremely important for entrance to, and success in most professional fields. We are very proud of our scholarship winners, as they have put a great deal of effort and thought into their chosen career paths.