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INTech Camp for Girls scholars earned a prestigious title during a competition at Facebook HQ.
Charlotte, NC
May 14, 2019 We’re happy to announce exciting news from our recent trip to Silicon Valley. Four of our INTech Camp scholars participated in the Engineer for the Week (EFTW) Achievement Summit at Facebook Headquarters in Menlo Park, CA. Last fall, Amia Rice and Maria Morales Salgado submitted an online proposal to EFTW’s Play for Impact call for submissions. Their educational game idea that tackles racism and sexism ultimately impressed the judges. The girls were selected to attend the all-expense paid summit along with their peers and INTech advisors on May 2-3.
During the two-day event, the girls soaked up valuable knowledge during several interactive STEM workshops and spent one-on-one time with Facebook engineers learning about career possibilities in tech. Their trip concluded with a hackathon. Out of 20 teams, INTech advanced to the top eight during the competition and made it to the top four. They received an award for overall best team pitch. The girls developed, Air to Spare, an environmental app inspired by their concerns about pollution in Charlotte. The game tasks players with finding alternative modes of transportation producing the least amount of pollution during a simulated work commute.
Here are a few reflections from INTech scholars about their experience:
“I can honestly say that I enjoyed my time at the EFTW Achievement summit. Learning and interacting with my teammates was the highlight of my experience. I learned how to work under pressure and complete an app within a short amount of time. This is something I will never forget and inspires to learn more about coding.” -Amia Rice
“In California I was able to get deeper into technology. It was great to hear minorities speak about how they turned negative outcomes into positive outcomes. I loved listening to their stories. They made me realize this is what I want to do!!” -Briana Winslow
“My EFTW experience was beyond amazing! Being exposed to such opportunities allows me to not only learn more about myself, but also learn about these companies that I one day could be working for. This was my first hackathon and I’m already looking forward for more to come. I’m super excited for what the future holds!” -Harmoni Riggins
“EFTW and the California experience overall was very motivating and exciting. I met several friendly people from similar backgrounds that ended up going to extraordinary places. The Facebook team and competition was welcoming and my team worked well together and efficient. All the places we got to see were life-changing and amazing.” –Maria Morales-Salgado
INTech founder and CEO, Khalia Braswell also coordinated tours at Netflix, a networking luncheon with Apple engineers, and a visit to Stanford University to further expand cultural connections and learning opportunities for the girls.
For media requests and interview opportunities, contact us directly: [email protected]
INTech Camp for Girls is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2014. The mission of the INTech Camp is to inform and inspire girls to innovate in the technology industry.
