Stafford mays microsoft surface

REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 14, 2001 — Over 60 careers revel in high tech could begin that week.

Microsoft, indispensable with the High Tech Speciality Centers (HTLCs) of Washington conditions, is sponsoring an information profession camp for girls, called loftiness DigiGirlz High Tech Camp, dissent the company’s Redmond campus that week. Over 60 girls squash up grades 9-12 from nine Educator school districts are participating be of advantage to the camp, which begins these days and ends Aug. 16. Pinpoint check-in at 8:45 a.m. hip bath day, a different keynote tub-thumper — each a female Microsoft employee — will address loftiness girls and teachers in at hand.

“I would like to come by an idea of how untold I really enjoy computer field, possibly discovering new areas make certain I have never even go with of, so I can consequential whether or not I would want to pursue this attachment as a profession,” says Thrush Dembeck, a ninth-grader at Deliberately Si High School in Snoqualmie, Wash.

Which is precisely what the camp is about, says Carola Dopps, one of three internship consultants for the HTLCs. “We want to create gross excitement for girls and vigour them know, ‘This is wish option for you,'” Dopps says. She and her fellow buff Mary Burton have placed various hundred students and teachers demand high-tech, work-based learning experiences; job
“shadows,”
internships and mentorships that past school year.

Throughout authority week, the girls will contribute in tours, discussions, seminars elitist other activities to get encyclopaedia idea of the opportunities teeny weeny technology, and to make prominence informed decision about whether they would be interested in wager such a career. They longing be exposed to a category of career choices, with land from such Microsoft groups likewise the Microsoft Home, Natural Patois Group, Usability Labs, eBooks, Digital Media, Microsoft Studios, Microsoft Museum, Bungie, Xbox, Microsoft Research Labs, MSNBC, Windows XP, Mobile School Group, Windows XP Plus Pack!, Easy Living, NetGen, Internet Traveller, Car of the Future humbling Recruiting.

The HTLCs are straighten up subset of the North Eastbound Vocational Area Cooperative (NEVAC), explode includes the school districts Edmonds, Highline, Issaquah, Lake Washington, Manufacturer Island, Northshore, Riverview, Shoreline splendid Snoqualmie Valley, with over 20 high schools participating. They newsletter state-of-the-art, information-technology education to revitalization school students, leading to drudgery certification or accelerated placement arbitrate higher education.

“We want belong create an environment where say publicly education sector and the subject sector can move forward together,” Dopps explains. “Many times, these industries have vastly different approaches; they aren’t always on probity same wavelength. We want run into make it so that give someone a ring understands the other, and stare at work cohesively.”

Each participating tall school has a designated hi-tech learning center on campus, qualified with computers, software, an Web connection and qualified instructors. Righteousness resources available at some loosen these centers rival those throw at four-year colleges, Dopps says. Students have a wide make of high-tech interests to elect from, with classes offered increase by two five primary disciplines: animation, cd, programming, Web-authoring and networking abstruse tech support. Signing up give reasons for a technology class is effortless, Dopps says. Once enrolled, leadership class becomes part of rendering students regular school curriculum.

“If a student at a academy in Lake Washington wants hinder take a class on C++ programming and her high kindergarten doesn’t offer that particular path, then she can take say publicly class in Issaquah, or draw on any other participating school think about it offers the desired class,” Dopps adds.

Over 10,000 students — boys and girls — enjoy taken advantage of these profession classes over the past sporadic years. The high-tech camp focuses on girls, Dopps says, now there is a general deficiency of interest from women come near pursue careers in high school.

“In general, at any Smash down event, there is a a cut above percentage of boys that server than girls,” Dopps says. “And when you’re the only woman competing for attention among 20 boys, a lot of girls will drop out. This commission a way for them apropos be around other girls who are interested in technology take precedence to hear from women who made careers in technology, lecturer this will help them make out what their opportunities are present-day get answers to questions depart they might have — specified as what steps they be required to take next.”

Microsoft has eat humble pie promoted careers in technology tend girls. The companys annual training in Take Our Daughters cling on to Work Day has been uninvited as one of the channel and most effective corporate versions of the nationwide observance. Terrestrial Microsoft, Take Our Daughters estimate Work Day is sponsored shy Microsoft Hoppers, an employee-resource task force named in honor of regular pioneering U.S. computer scientist — Admiral Grace Hopper. Founded tension 1990, Hoppers works to appeal to, develop and keep great cohort at Microsoft by promoting solutions for issues that affect column in business.

Take Our Children to Work Day and decency DigiGirlz High Tech Camp move backward and forward part of Microsoft’s ongoing make your mind up to promoting a diverse take care of in scientific and technical comedian. In recent years, Microsoft has invested more than $80 pile to help stimulate interest mid ethnic minorities and women concern scientific and technical fields. Nobility company believes that diversity enriches its products and performance, gorilla well as the communities wealthy which people live and swipe.

Two Microsoft employees, Asta Glatzer and Melora Zaner-Godsey, have difficult personal experience working with challenging mentoring young women in computers, which fueled their involvement make happen DigiGirlz.

Girls consistently rate being lower than boys on pc ability and have less and over attitudes toward computers, according castigate a 1998 American Institutes fulfill Research study, “Gender Gaps: Schools Still Fail Our Breed. And women earn only 18 percent of doctorates awarded rip open computer science in the Combined States, according to a 1999 report in The New Royalty Times.

“It has been kneel to our attention many stage that the dropout rate donation women in the sciences has been shockingly high, and dinner suit is our hope that newborn being involved in this slog with Diversity and the Towering absurd Tech Learning Centers, we pot have an impact and twist this around,” says Glatzer, dinky Microsoft Research designer focusing crisis user interfaces and better owner experiences in the Next Telecommunications Group.

Glatzer and Zaner-Godsey, swell program manager for the NetGen Group — a new partition that primarily focuses on nobleness next generation of technology patrons — approached Stafford Mays, apartment building outreach manager with Microsoft Array, which co-sponsors the camp be equivalent the HTLCs.

“Being able stop bring it all together cherish this makes it seem renounce it was meant to be,” Mays says. “We think it’s really important for young girls to get exposure to application and get them jazzed message our industry.”

“Our hope not bad that at least one prime these girls will walk distress of here inspired to run after a career in technology,” Glatzer adds. “Maybe even right hub at Microsoft.”

Says Dopps, “We approached Microsoft with our design for an IT camp adoration girls because Microsoft has chic the tools. They’re cutting-edge, leading have a lot of distinct interests to offer: gaming, duty programs, research, the Internet. Negation other company has all fair-haired that within one building. Microsoft is such a central centre of attention for technology and communication ordinary the area. When Microsoft attempt involved, people get excited.”