Oakland's Techbridge program introduces girls to things techie
From the Oakland Tribune:
In Erin Zane's science classroom at Bret Harte Middle School after classes Tuesday, 18 girls made lists of fun uses for everyday items.
A paper clip could be used as a bending toy, one group concluded. A penny could be tossed or hidden. A Post-It note could be folded into a miniature paper airplane.
The point of the exercise was to get the girls to think differently about common objects and to learn a bit about play. It will help them as they develop new toys, acting as mechanical engineers for the after-school Techbridge program sponsored by Chabot Space & Science Center.
Techbridge was developed by Chabot in 2000 to get girls interested in science. They are introduced to scientific concepts through dialogue and hands-on activities in girls-only classrooms.
--> "Girls show off technical skills; Techbridge program introduces students to scientific concepts through a hands-on approach", Laura Casey, Oakland Tribune, December 14, 2005