Pomona Unified School District
Female students at the Fremont Academy of Engineering and Design are breaking through barriers and embracing career paths in science, technology, engineering and math – helping to lead the next generation of women into STEM careers.
Known as the Fremont Femineers, the group consists of 24 girls in grades 10 and 11 – the top students in their class – who engage in hands-on STEM activities, including robotics and wearable technology.
“I’ve heard many times that STEM is not for girls, but they’re wrong,” said Elena Guzman, an 11thgrader and president of the Femineers. “These girls are smart and do amazing projects, and we were chosen because we’re full of potential. I think we’re a great group of girls who are going to do great things.”
The Fremont Academy of Engineering and Design is a grade seven to 12 Project Lead The Way school composed of an equal number of boys and girls, all of whom take engineering classes.
The Femineers was created in 2013 in partnership with Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Engineering and is guided by the belief that girls will thrive in STEM careers if they are given the opportunity. The college, which has an 18 percent female enroll ment, supplies the funding and academic support to sustain the three-year program.
The program provides students with projectbased learning, female engineering student
mentors and college counseling while building a sustainable community
of current and future STEM leaders. They are now the subject of a PLTW
documentary.
“The
Femineers are treading ground in what has historically been a
male-dominated industry,” said Fremont engineering and computer science
teacher Scott Lukesh, who runs the program and was recently recognized
by PLTW for his commitment to being a master teacher. “It’s a field that
we can change. It’s a difficult thing to do, but there’s no stopping
this revolution, and I believe the Femineers can make a real impact at
Fremont, Cal Poly and beyond.”
For more information on the Femineers, visit www.facebook.com/fremontfemineers.
