FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 12, 2010
Contact: Amy Hewes
805-756-6402; ahewes@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly’s Society of Women Engineers
to Bring Hands-On Engineering Activities to Local Elementary Students
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly students from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) will visit local fourth-grade classrooms throughout the week of Feb. 15-19.
The outreach is part of Cal Poly's celebration of National Engineering Week Feb. 15-19.
Volunteers from SWE are scheduled to visit schools in Atascadero, Morro Bay, Santa Maria, Grover Beach and Los Osos. At all the schools, the SWE members will lead fourth-grade students in hands-on science experiments and talk with them about engineering.
“The idea is to have Cal Poly students get younger students interested and excited about science, math, and all things related to engineering,” said SWE Fourth Grade Days coordinator Laura Dearborn.
The Cal Poly chapter of SWE has a long-standing tradition of excellence and outreach within the community. SWE members often become “study-buddies” for elementary school children and mentor junior-high and high school students. Other programs such as Building an Engineer, Shadow an Engineering Student and Girl Scout Engineering Day give students hands-on opportunities to learn more about engineering.
“Our mission is to open the doors of the profession to young people – especially girls, who remain underrepresented in engineering and technical fields,” said Karen Bangs, director of Cal Poly’s Women’s Engineering Program. “With our SWE members serving as real-life role models, the program definitely plants a seed about career and college opportunities.”
For the schedule of fourth-grade classroom visits, go to:http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AhvvOHCjzcaTdFZmbUp4VXl0TjdSYUhLMHFCLWtVNnc&hl=en.
Reporters and other media personnel who plan to visit and take photos or film at the schools are encouraged to call the campuses in advance and stop at school offices before entering classrooms.
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