Tech Trek is a science and math camp designed to develop interest, excitement and self-confidence in young women who will enter eighth grade in the fall.  Camp curriculum is targeted specifically at girls entering 8th grade.  This one week summer camp features hands-on activities in astronomy, engineering, marine biology, robotics, and environmental studies.  All California Tech Trek camps are located on a California university campus where our campers live in a dorm setting and explore the university experience.

All girls attend Tech Trek camps on scholarships funded by proceeds from our Branch’s Fall Fundraiser and donations from other community groups and individuals, working with participating junior highs and middle schools in our area. Seventh grade science and/or math teachers at these schools recommend camper candidates who must then pass through an extensive qualification process that includes an application, an essay, and a personal interview.  We ask the families of our girls to contribute $50 toward the cost of tuition.

ORE has made Tech Trek top priority for our branch funds; we send as many as ten girls to the Fresno State campus each summer. We believe that this investment in junior high girls is an investment in our community and the world around us.  The girls enthusiastically help with our  fall fundraiser and get together for field trips and social events throughout the year, building strong bonds with each other. Our members mentor the girls individually and provide support to them as they progress into high school and beyond.  We encourage them to look ahead and plan for college and careers, and we make scholarship opportunities available to them.  We maintain contact and continue support through the college years as well.  Our branch is proud to see that these young women value our presence in their lives and return through the years to share their experiences with our group.

Field Trips

 Each year our branch organizes field trips for our Graduate Trekkers as part of our mentoring program to give them a way to keep in touch and to nurture their interest in STEM careers.  It’s also a great way for our members to meet and support these young women.

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Monterey Bay Aquarium – February 2023

Thirteen former Tech Trekkers and five mentors spent a whole day exploring the Monterey Bay Aquarium and learning about the marine life there.  For several it was their first trip visiting the Aquarium.

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Tech Trekkers to the Coast – November 21, 2017

Tech Trekkers were truly trekkers on the field trip to Point Reyes National Seashore. Seven young women and three mentors braved the bay area traffic and a hike to the ocean. ORE member and Modesto Junior College Professor Teri Curtis led the group, along with  two driver/mentors. They had lunch at the visitor center prior to viewing the exhibits, and then were off to Abbott’s Lagoon.

Professor Curtis had much to offer about the area and brought magnifying equipment to see things wiggling in a stream, binoculars for looking at the things far away, and a sieve to see how many plastic pieces could be found in the beach sand (it’s called nurdling).

Trekkers saw a sea otter, some strange weathering patterns on rocks, all sorts of little things in the stream, and of course WAVES! The girls seemed delighted to just stare at the ocean; and some brave ones let the waves chase them back up the beach over and over again. One girl plopped down in the sand and started making a sand castle, then requested that they stay until dark.

For several of the girls it was the first time to the ocean. Four of the girls were from this past year’s camp. Giggles, bonding, and sleeping were the main activities during the ride to and from.

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Tech Trekkers visit Rachelle Pabalan at Stanford University
– January 21, 2017

38 WOMEN MARCH ON STANFORD

The Tech Trek alumni and seven AAUW mentor/drivers visited Rachelle Pabalan (a Tech Trek alum) at Stanford University on Saturday, January 21.

Thirty eighth graders through seniors participated in the field trip. Rachelle showed us a typical dorm room; then our tour guide, Sean Strong, walked us around campus telling us stories about the University and how he managed to get accepted to his dream school. We ate lunch at the cafeteria and meandered around the bookstore, where we lost only one Tech Trekker for a scary few minutes.

Then onward to meet three students from the Society of Women Engineers, who shared their stories about getting accepted to Stanford and what classes were like. Then we capped it off with a visit to the Art Museum.

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Tech Trekkers visit Great Valley Museum
– February 26, 2016

Oakdale-Riverbank-Escalon member and Modesto Junior College science professor, Teri Curtis led our Tech Trek graduates and their mentors on a tour of the recently opened Great Valley Museum at Modesto Junior College. After the Trekkers had a chance to explore the exhibits featuring the fauna and flora of our great valley, Professor Curtis took them to her biology lab where the girls had an opportunity to do an experiment with DNA.