Galbreath reflects on Tech Trek experience sponsored by AAUW

“What surprised me is how super fun this camp was. I knew I would learn things, but I didn’t expect to learn in such a fun way. I would go yearly if I could!” said Taylor Galbreath of her week at Tech Trek at Eastern Washington University held July 29 through Aug. 4.

Tech Trek at Eastern Washington University is one of three Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) camps offered in Washington to girls after their seventh grade year of school.

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) sponsors the camps and the Ritzville Branch of AAUW provided Galbreath’s campership.

Tech Trek immerses girls into the college in-dorm campus experience to empower them and encourage them to think about themselves as future scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and computer specialists as they meet adults at work in these areas.

Students sign up for a core area among these offerings: the human body, cybersecurity, robotics or electricity.

Galbreath said she received her second choice which was cybersecurity. She enthusiastically explained that she learned how computers talk to one another using the binary code.

She learned how to be safe regarding cybersecurity, the difference between hackers for positive or negative purposes. She learned what computer programmers do, and she met a woman whose career is computer science for the government in a ‘top security’ position.

Galbreath’s first core area choice had been the human body. In a ‘Taste of Core’ she was able to visit the WSU Health Center and Medical School. Here she was most excited to say that she touched a human heart and a human kidney.

“The kidney looked like a potato, but when it opened it was nothing like a potato!”

The specimen must have been hinged like a clam shell to allow the participants to see its inside ‘design’, its inner-workings.

Galbreath said they learned of the many medical professions especially physical therapy, nursing, and pharmacy.

Professional Women’s Night continued this theme of real women in real work. Women professionals were able to join the girls at their dinner table in an experience of learning through conversation the women’s fields of work.

Galbreath named a chemist, a meteorologist who determines what the weather will be- not just the woman on the news relaying the weather, a wildlife specialist who was an expert on deer, a pharmacist, and an Air Force pilot.

Galbreath particularly enjoyed visiting with the pilot who impressed her for her confidence and her easy manner.

She also learned that her job includes flying a smaller plane, a tanker, to a larger plane for refueling. The pilot who originally wanted to be an astronaut told the girls that her mother motivated her to fly.

Galbreath gave high marks for everything at Tech Trek - the dorm experience, the food-especially breakfasts, her favorite meal of the day, the free-time activities which included ice skating and swimming at EWU, and watching “Hidden Figures” for movie night, the Women’s Professional Night and her classes.

“I learned that when I’m 16,” Galbreath continued, “I could apply to be a Tech Trek counselor,” a position open to Tech Trek alumni.

The week at Tech Trek rounded out a busy summer for Galbreath.

She has attended Basketball Academy throughout the summer on Mondays and Wednesdays, HS basketball camp in Ilwaco, 2-on-2 sand volleyball, 6 on 6 grass volleyball, church camp, and she is readying two steers for the Wheat Land Communities’ Fair.

Galbreath joins young women previously sponsored by Ritzville AAUW to attend Tech Trek.

The group includes Emma Aldrich, Laurel Hayes, Sharon Anderson, Rachel Nygren, Haley Kulm, Diamond Spain, Essance Holland, Grace Saint John, Amy Anderson and Annika Holland.

This year’s campership will be open to Lind Ritzville Middle School girls who show interest, curiosity, willingness to learn in STEM areas.

Galbreath will present to the Ritzville AAUW at their meeting Sept. 12 with dinner at Mi Jalisco and the presentation to follow at the Ritzville Public Library basement at 7 p.m.

The public is welcome to attend the presentation. AAUW membership is open to anyone who holds a college Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.