Junior League of Palo Alto•Mid Peninsula and Technovation Partner to Bring the World’s Largest Mobile App Startup Competition to More Bay Area Girls

Menlo Park, Calif. – June 22, 2015 – The Junior League of Palo Alto•Mid Peninsula (JLPA•MP) is partnering with Technovation, the world’s largest mobile app entrepreneurship competition for girls, to inspire the next generation of technology leaders. Technovation will benefit from significant volunteer and outreach support from the JLPA•MP as the organizations join forces to educate the female technology entrepreneurs of the future.

In this first joint project between JLPA•MP and Technovation, the organizations will work together to address the shortage of girls who pursue STEM careers. JLPA•MP volunteers will reach out to local teachers, women in technology, and community leaders to educate them about Technovation’s free online curriculum and competition, and equip them to lead Technovation groups in their schools and neighborhoods. JLPA•MP will also provide support to volunteers throughout the competition and organize local events related to the project.

Samantha Quist, JLPA•MP member and the former executive director of Technovation, states, “I’m proud to see JLPA•MP focusing on girls in STEM and working with Technovation to bring mobile app development and entrepreneurship education to more girls in our community.”

Studies have shown that just 18% of computer science majors are women (a decrease from 35% of computer science graduates in 1985), and only 7% of technology entrepreneurs are estimated to be women. JLPA•MP and Technovation aim to improve the ratio of women in computer science and entrepreneurship by providing training and education to young women in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

Technovation challenges girls ages 10 to 18 to create a mobile app and business plan to address a real problem in their community. Bay Area students have chosen to address issues including graffiti, bullying, and peer pressure in previous years. The 2015-16 project will begin this fall as teachers, community members, women in technology, and other volunteers register to participate in Technovation. JLPA•MP is excited to collaborate with volunteers and students as they begin work on Technovation’s curriculum by January, in order to prepare their apps for submission to Technovation’s international competition by next spring.

 

About the Junior League of Palo Alto•Mid Peninsula, Inc.

The Junior League of Palo Alto•Mid Peninsula, Inc. (JLPA•MP) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The JLPA•MP serves the Peninsula communities of Atherton, Belmont, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, Stanford, Sunnyvale and Woodside, and invites women of all races, religions and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism to join our ranks. For more information, visit www.thejuniorleague.org.

About Technovation

Technovation’s mission is to inspire and educate girls and women to solve real-world problems through technology. Technovation began as a pilot program in 2010 with just 45 girls. Over the past five years, it has transformed from an in-person program taught by Technovation staff to a global competition reaching thousands of girls in 28 countries. Technovation is a program of Iridescent, a 501c3 non-profit that trains engineers and scientists to mentor young people, inspire them to develop a sense of wonder about the world, and guide them in tackling real world challenges.

 

Project Development Helps Launch the League’s New Focus Area

By Amy Truel, Project Development Committee

The Tech Museum was little more than a dream in 1978 when the Junior League of Palo AltoŸMid Peninsula (JLPAŸMP) hit upon the idea to create a dynamic learning center devoted to science and technology. This idea led to the founding of The Tech Museum of Innovation, incorporated in 1983 as a nonprofit in Junior League member Julie Rose’s kitchen.

With a new focus on encouraging girls to engage with technology, we have re-teamed with The Tech to launch three exciting initiatives. One will pair league members with middle school girls participating in The Tech Challenge, an annual team design challenge for 4-12 grade that reinforces the scientific and engineering process with a hands-on project to solve a real-world problem.  The league will also provide funding to establish "Girls @ The Tech Days," a new program focused on engaging girls with STEM education. 

Girls from the Peninsula will be transported to The Tech, where they will participate in hands-on workshops, interact with exhibits, and hear from women working in tech today.  Members will also aid in establishing the Girls @ The Tech Committee, which will help provide future community and financial support for the museum.

"The Tech is enormously grateful for the support provided by the JLPAŸMP," said Jessica Christie, Director of Individual Giving at The Tech. "Without their efforts the museum would not exist, and their renewed support will allow us to focus on the crucial issue of inspiring girls to connect with STEM."

We are also launching an exciting new project with Technovation, a program that was founded right here in Mountain View in 2010 and now reaches girls in 60 countries around the world.  Technovation runs an annual mobile
app startup competition for girls, challenging them to create apps for the purpose
of solving real problems in their communities.  The girls work with volunteer coaches
(or teachers) and women professionals who serve
as mentors. 

As a capacity building project, the goal is to increase the number of girls ages 10-18 who develop competence and confidence in technology and entrepreneurship in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties by engaging local teachers and women in technology to coordinate the program for local students.  Committee members will participate in outreach and collaboration with local school, community and corporate leaders, and organize events such as workshops and a regional pitch event.

These partnerships are the result of a long-term planning process during which league members engaged with several community organizations to assess needs and identify potential projects.  The new focus area, Getting and Keeping Girls in Technology, will take effect in June of 2015, and will continue for five years. 

"Our team did an outstanding job of becoming experts in each issue area and identifying various strategies for our membership to create meaningful and measurable community impact," commented Project Development Committee co-chair and immediate past president, Joy Baker Peacock.  

Two of our committee members will be leading the new projects, a testament to their commitment.  Kate Thome will be chair for the Tech Challenge Mentors project and Samantha Quist will be co-chair for the Technovation Capacity Building project.  “We are grateful for their support and fortunate to have continuity from project selection to execution,” commented Project Development co-chair Noelle Santamaria.

Thank you to the 2014-15 Project Development Team!

Bullying is a Pain in the Brain!

-->

by Claire Pomeroy

 This week's MPower session focused on life skills exercises to better know and understand “The Communication Basics” – specifically how to deal with bullying.  Unlike previous sessions, which typically have been very active and encouraged learning through actions, this week’s session was quieter and focused on discussion rather than action.  After a delicious dinner of lasagna and salad, small groups comprised of Leaguers and foster children sat together to read one of four books – “My Secret Bully” by Trudy Ludwig, “Nobody Knew What to Do” by Becky Ray McCain, “Trouble Talk” by Trudy Ludwig, and “Just Kidding” by Trudy Ludwig.  

 Dana, Carmina and Claire had the opportunity to read “Just Kidding” and talk with the kids about how mean things, even when said in a joking tone, can be hurtful.  The children were very insightful about how to deal with this form of bullying: take away the bully’s power by embracing the joke and playing it off as no big deal, talking with friends, and seeking advice from an adult.  After a good discussion, we watched the movie “Bullies are a Pain in the Brain!” to see these solutions in action.  Finally, we wrapped up the evening by creating caring chains - each child created a paper caring chain made up of kind things they could say to each other to remind us all to be more caring.  If the other Junior League volunteers and the foster children felt  the same way I did upon leaving Monday’s session, I think we now have that many more people MPower(ed) to confront bullying head on!

The Shelter Network: Walking into a Life Boost Workshop

By Shelly Welch

-->

When you volunteer, you give yourself a moment to experience someone else's life.  That's why we volunteer. We find that no matter what we thought or expected walking in, we leave the experience transformed. We want to feel that we were able to make an impact. 

The Shelter Network committee facilitates League members to lead Life Boost workshops with the women and men who live in two local shelters in the Innvision Shelter Network--Haven House in Menlo Park and First Steps for Families in San Mateo. The workshops are short, only an hour, and divided into short segments of time, career, and money management. 

"What struck me most about the group who attended my session was how diverse it was- single mothers and their babies, middle-aged women, couples, and young adults.  I quickly realized that there was no cookie cutter advice that would pertain to each person but what was important was starting a conversation and taking 20 minutes to focus on career development.  The group shared with each other what was working or not working for them and gave each other advice that was specific to their situation.  Several out of the group wrote down tips and went away with new ideas for landing jobs or moving up from their current positions.   While none of us has all the answers, listening to each other and learning from others’ successes and failures is certainly a step in the right direction," says Stephanie Piecewicz of her experience.

"They have been offered jobs, but biggest struggle for them is finding one that will coincide with availability of their childcare options (and there are not a lot of options).  They are on wait-lists for affordable childcare but unfortunately the lists are years long.  Many of them want to return to school and were discussing financial aid opportunities (FAFSA) and other options to get them there.  It was clear they are taking advantage of every opportunity that comes their way and are doing their best to make a better life for themselves," says Nicolette Frink of her experience in the workshops. 

Imagine you are in an in-between moment. We all have them. These are moments between jobs or between apartments. These moments are stressful. They test us and our relationships with our families and friends. For many, these moments are only moments. We have an innate sense of a next step. We have a sense of a safety net, however strong or tenuous, and understand that no matter what that we can move forward. 

Now imagine an in-between moment with no next step. Now compound that with an environment where having a job does not guarantee that you can afford a place to live. Add a small child whose care makes it difficult for you to obtain a job.  Add an addiction, physical ailment or mental illness. It would be difficult to face every day.

As volunteers, our experiences vary immensely. “My first time working one of the instructional sessions for Shelter Network was intimidating.  I couldn’t pretend to be an expert in the topic that I was assigned, Careers, and wondered how I could possibly make a real difference to anybody,” says Stephanie. Sometimes we are leading workshops but aren’t so great at budgeting or time management, and we’re the ones taking notes. Sometimes, though, we can inspire. Sometimes we know exactly the right advice or the right venue that could really help a person achieve their dream. Mostly, though, we’re the ones coming away inspired. “It was very inspiring to see these women who with baby in hand, living in a shelter, but are not giving up on themselves or their families,” says Nicolette. “It almost felt selfish that I am volunteering my time, yet I am the one who leaves feeling uplifted and inspired. Interesting right?”

MPower Holiday Social

 by Genevieve Gaines

 

On Monday, December 2, the MPower committee got together for their holiday social at the Gatehouse. This was not your ordinary wine and cheese night! We were so thrilled with the outcome of the board game drive that we took some time as a group to embellish the games to get them ready for donation to Help One Child. The MPower committee spent the evening putting festive ribbons and holiday ornaments on all 61 board games! 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to all the wonderful Junior Leaguers who donated a board game! MPower committee members tied bows and curled ribbons while listening to holiday music and, yes, they also indulged in some wine and cheese. Thanks to DIAD's holiday game drive initiative and the MPower committee's gift additions each group home and foster family that works with Help One Child will receive a board game for the holidays!