Creating opportunities for high school students to expand and explore their personal and professional development in STEM careers
SAN DIEGO, CALIF. (PRWEB) FEBRUARY 04, 2020
Young Women In Bio, the nation’s largest nonprofit supporting high school students to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) careers, and Winward Academy, a national leader in learning programs for high school students in mathematics and ACT and SAT college entrance exams, have announced a partnership to support San Diego teens. The goal of the partnership is to create opportunities for high school students to interact with women who are self-made stars of STEM and to learn how they became leaders.
Dr. Jennifer Winward, an instructor at University of California, San Diego and the founder and CEO of Winward Academy, actively collaborates with Young Women In Bio (YWIB) to organize professional panels for high school students. Winward affirms, “Winward Academy promotes a holistic view of teen paths to success. While we love to support youth with their ‘numbers’ like GPA and test scores, we care that they also pursue valuable life experiences and understand the importance of internships, mentorship and relationships with teachers. Our partnership with YWIB enables us to promote that holistic approach.”
Winward Academy and Young Women In Bio created the Selfies are Out. Self-made is In! symposium for teens, generously hosted by AMN Healthcare. The events have featured panels of impressive female leaders sharing their paths, giving advice and inspiring local youth. “We share with Winward Academy the desire to not only get girls thinking about STEM, but also to see a future for themselves as leaders in STEM,” said Lily Wound, National Chair of Young Women in Bio. “That’s why this partnership with Winward Academy is so exciting for us, and we look forward to working together on creating more programming for girls in the San Diego area like this [wonderful] symposium.”
The panelists are all highly driven and successful women, ranging in careers from medical doctors to veterinarians, pharmacists, company founders, educators and biotechnology executives. Over 300 teens and their parents from 30 schools across San Diego listened to panel discussions that addressed how these women became leaders and what they see in the future of STEM careers. Speakers encouraged teens to shape and change the world through STEM, describing the tools and resources available to them to build successful careers.
Dr. Cathy Schnabel, Chief Scientific Officer at Biotheranostics Inc., summarized the views of the panel on mentoring and shared, “You aren’t always able to recognize the skills and talent that you have. It takes a special person in your life to tell you that you are really great at something and to pursue it…keep your mind open; find mentors; use the resources available to you to develop your own GPS for your career.”
Panelists also spoke to the importance of learning from every experience along one’s career path and to acquiring both hard and soft skills. Julie Ames, Vice President of Corporate Communications for BIOCOM, focused on the value of developing soft skills. “The number one skill is telling the truth. You must be honest. You must be transparent. You must be authentic. You must be accountable. You must maintain poise amid the chaos, staying poised, organized and calm, regardless of what you face.”
Winward Academy and YWIB will continue to nurture their partnership to plan more events throughout San Diego. For more information about the “Selfies are Out. Self-Made is In!” symposium series or other national YWIB events, please contact Lily Wound at 240.204.0719 or [email protected].
About Young Women in Bio
Young Women In Bio (YWIB) is a nationwide, nonprofit, volunteer organization that encourages young girls to explore opportunities, education, and careers in STEM. YWIB is affiliated with Women In Bio. YWIB gives girls the inspiration and support they need to become tomorrow’s leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). As a nonprofit with 13 chapters across the U.S. and Canada, YWIB partners with leading companies, universities, hospitals, and organizations to develop engaging, educational, and motivational programs.
About Winward Academy
Test success, college success, and life success – they all begin at Winward Academy, a research-based, student-centered learning platform for the ACT, SAT, math class, and college applications. Winward Academy applies a scientific approach to customize learning for each student, enabling growth for students of all levels and learning styles. Winward Academy is a team of passionate adolescent learning researchers committed to thoughtfully developing curriculum that improves learning, retention, and test performance – building confidence for life. Winward Academy curriculum is used by students at home, by teachers in the classroom, and by charities in after-school and summer programs. For more information on Winward Academy, see winwardacademy.com or follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Students at the “Selfies are Out. Self-Made is In!” symposium ask questions of the panelists
“While we love to support youth with their ‘numbers’ like GPA and test scores, we care that they also pursue valuable life experiences and understand the importance of internships, mentorship and relationships with teachers.” – Jennifer Winward, Founder and CEO of Winward Academy
