Making a Change
Yesterday, I had the honor of teaching 28 girls an intro into data analytics at a girls+data data camp. I started volunteering for girls+data in September 2019. girls+data is an organization with a mission to increase data literacy and skill sets to middle school girls by providing workshops throughout the country. The end goal: to impact the next generation by increasing the number of females in STEM careers.
This post is my reflection and thoughts on my teaching experience:
I have a love/hate relationship with public speaking. Most of the time I’m nervous, full of self-doubt, and anxious about the situation, even if it's in front of my peers. Being in the limelight is something that I am not used to and it is something that I am personally working on to embrace my fears and step forward.
Yesterday, though, was different. Standing in front of a room full of middle school girls, there was joy where usually fear exists. There was confidence where self-doubt usually exists. There was peace in my heart as I stood in front of these girls. This is a group of students that I have never met or interacted with. I knew with zero doubt in mind, that I was meant to be there, to teach them, to make an impact in their lives.
I recalled to the girls just like an old war hero would tell younger soldiers how things were different when I started in my career. I told them the struggles, the skill sets that I had to learn, but I assured them that they are in a better position now than when I was their age. I explained to them that having the exposure to data at such a young age allows them to have the skills to step into STEM. I explained to them that they don’t need to learn how to code, that they don’t need to be afraid of it if they don’t know what they like, that taking a risk and learning something new helps you to understand what you like and don’t like.
As I taught and asked the girls questions, I kept thinking to myself, I wish I had this when I was their age. I wish I had people who took their time to show what are the possibilities.
When I was younger, I didn’t think those things were important. As an adult and a mom, I know the importance of giving back, on being an example to the next generation. This new generation will be exposed to technology at a much earlier age than any other previous generation. They may have all the information at their fingertips, they may have Google and YouTube and all the content online, but it doesn’t mean that we (the adults) stop being part of their lives. They still need mentors, they still need role models, they still need to see what they can be capable of.
I want to thank Kira Wetzel for founding girls+data and the rest of the volunteers. Without this organization, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity that I had yesterday. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.