Calling all 10 - 15 year olds! Join us for our first FREE Saturday workshop in the LAB! We’ll be learning how to use the laser cutter and wire it up with your own creative flair! Register here or with the QR code!
Mindful Moments in May
This month, we’re turning our focus inward—with a theme centered on self-care for the whole family. As the days grow longer and the pace of life picks up, it’s more important than ever to pause, breathe, and take care of ourselves and one another. In this issue, you’ll find simple tips, gentle reminders, and family-friendly ideas to help everyone in your home feel more balanced, calm, and connected.
Here’s to a May filled with moments of peace and joy!
- Lauren and Jie Ying
Upcoming Events
Lab Day #5
Saturday, May 17th from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Field Day
Saturday, May 31st from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Office Hours + Capstone Dress Rehearsal
Please review the graphic below for dates and RSVP by clicking the button below!
May Monthly Observances
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month
Celebrated in May, this month honors the rich histories, diverse cultures, and significant contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders to the United States.
Jewish American Heritage Month
Observed in May, this month recognizes the achievements, culture, and contributions of Jewish Americans to the nation's history and society.
Mental Health Awareness Month
Held each May, this month raises awareness about mental health issues, promotes mental well-being, and encourages support and open dialogue to reduce stigma.
follow us on Instagram to learn more about daily observances this month! @stempathsinnovationnetwork
Self-Care and Wellness
May is Mental Health Awareness month, and with AP Exams and testing season coming up, we want to remind our SPIN youth to take care of themselves during this busy and stressful time. We encourage SPIN youth to try out one of the following tips below to help maintain strong mental health!
Your Monthly Recap
What Did We Learn About?
Lab Day
This month's Lab Day was all about Brainstorming for Capstone Projects!
We focused on introducing capstone projects to each cohort and watching their ideas come to life. Our students are working on a diverse range of projects, including fully sustainable enclosed terrariums, camouflage backpacks, food science innovations, and environmental initiatives aimed at community resilience. They are also exploring sustainable fashion and animal recovery efforts!
Join us on June 7th for our Capstone Showcase! Celebrate the incredible effort our youth have put in this year as they present their final projects to family, friends, and our community. RSVP through the invite sent to your email!
Outdoors is for Everyone! Collab with YWE x Seattle Aquarium
We had an amazing day with a smaller group of youth connecting with the Young Women Empowered community — including their youth, mentors, and staff.
The day began with tidepooling at the beach, followed by singing songs, creating cyanotype art, and ended with a short hike through the beautiful Seahurst Park. Those who arrived extra early got a magical surprise — a chance to see orcas passing by!
Riddle of the Month!
Here we are, coming to sunnier days,
Where I take flight in warm, golden rays.
I greet every being with kindness and cheer,
And leave behind gifts they've been waiting to appear.
Youth Testimonials
During our next few office hours in May, we will be asking students who are dropping in to participate in a short interview for youth testimonials! They will be asked the questions similar to those in the graphics below and may be recorded and have their responses shared on our website or Instagram. If your youth is interested in preparing beforehand, then they can visit the form below to learn more and submit their response.
Keeping Up with the SPIN Girls Team!
Meet 9th Grade Mentor: Gabby Jackson!
Introduce yourself a little:
Hi, my name is Gabby Jackson! I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and where I went to Lakeside High School. I later attended Rice University in Houston, Texas where I obtained my Bachelor’s in computer science. During my undergraduate years, I was heavily involved with STEM outreach and empowerment. I was on the executive board of my university’s National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and started a club called RemixCS that partnered with different high schools in the Houston area to teach students about computer science. Our club made weekly visits to high schools to host engaging coding activities, work with technology and IT teachers to expand their curriculums, and provide academic and career preparation. Essentially, RemixCS offered enrichment that reinforced and broadened the knowledge of students.
After my graduation in 2020, I moved to the Greater Seattle area to work for Google! I have been living here since and enjoy what the Pacific Northwest Area has to offer. Outside of work, I enjoy baking sweet treats, watching TV (my favorite show is 90 Day Fiance), and reading (my last read was called Bad Blood, which is about the Theranos scandal). I also love spending time with my tuxedo named Alala whom I adopted from a rescue shelter.
What is your current job?
I currently work for Google as a software engineer in the Google cloud storage team. Prior to this position, I was a site reliability engineer working under the Persistent Disk team at Google. During my time as a site reliability engineer, I primarily monitored my team’s services to ensure they were running reliably and effectively. If there were issues with any Google services or systems, I was responsible for responding to and resolving them.
Now as a software engineer, my focus has shifted from monitoring Google services and systems to creating new features for them. I regularly collaborate with other team members like product and UX designers to build and review new features. Collaboration is essential to ensure needs are met, features are technically sound, and platforms outside of Google are able to support these upcoming features. In addition, I regularly write and test code so that they are reliable and do what they are expected. I continue to monitor Google services and systems but at a smaller scale and on individual parts like the new features and codes.
To give more insight about these features, they revolve around the Google cloud storage and its security and storing and transferring data in it. Monitoring and updating these features are necessary to protect the privacy and security of data stored by users such as daily, individual users and also large-scale customers like businesses, enterprises, and companies. Although I cannot share in great detail about the features I’m currently working on, me and my team are working on authentication. This will improve the reliability and security of the Google cloud storage by ensuring that people have access to what they are supposed to have access to and that other people don’t have unauthorized access.
How did you choose your career path?
In high school, I initially wanted to become a veterinarian or doctor. I considered engineering as a career path, but I wasn’t too interested because I was only aware of mechanical engineering at the time, which didn’t really resonate with me except for its analytic and building aspects. Even though I thought I wanted to be in medicine, I still wanted to explore other STEM options. This led me to take an AP Computer Science class during my senior year. Prior to this class, I didn’t know anything about computer science. However, after this class, I discovered my love for this subject. While this was exciting, this also meant a dilemma between choosing medicine or computer science.
Ultimately, by sophomore year of university, I decided I wanted to fully pursue computer science. I came to this decision through spending a lot of time asking and talking to people who were pre-med majors, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. A message I received that significantly shifted me towards computer science was this: “if you can see yourself doing anything else, then medicine might not be for you.” This made me realize that I could genuinely envision myself in computer science because I enjoyed the attention to detail, challenge of figuring things out, and the freedom and creativity of coding.
After completing two internships at Google and another at Microsoft during my undergraduate years, these experiences and that message gave me the confidence to pivot away from medicine and to computer science. In addition, with lots of self-reflection, I concluded that medicine was not necessarily a passion like computer science and I didn’t want to go through more years of schooling to become a veterinarian or doctor.
Since my university graduation in 2020, I have no regrets with my decision. I think a lesson from my story is to spend time self-reflecting on what career truly aligns with what you enjoy and want. Additionally, during this process of deciding, actively seek out personal experiences and insight from people in your interested careers. Moreover, if you end up settling on a career that is highly competitive like computer science, don’t be discouraged! If you are passionate, then it’s worth pursuing. Just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.
What are some challenges that you have encountered in your academic journey or career?
When I was pursuing my computer science degree in university, I placed a lot of pressure on myself because computer science was an entirely new and different subject to me. I always did well with academics in high school, succeeding in challenging classes like biology and math, but when it came to computer science, I struggled with grasping its concepts and content immediately. I wasn’t like many of my other peers who already had years of experience or an established foundation in computer science and I felt the pressure to catch up. I recognized that I wasn’t naturally gifted at computer science, but I continued to persevere and become good, confident, and proud of my work and skills in computer science. This took a long time and lots of patience, but throughout this process, I was consistent and slowly but surely progressing.
I now have trust in my competency in computer science after building this confidence up, and this has helped me stand firm and stay chill when I receive hurtful comments from my colleagues in the workplace. I remind myself that the words and actions of others do not reflect who I am, but are a reflection of who they are, and feelings of being an “imposter” is not necessarily because of me, but because of my current workplace is part of a STEM field that has historically and systematically excluded women or people of color.
Aside from these personal challenges I’ve encountered during my academic and professional career, the introduction of AI into the computer science fields and all other fields could become a potential challenge. I’m personally not too worried about AI yet and more curious about learning about the ethics of AI and who is responsible for what AI puts out. It’s interesting to observe how far we will let AI go, what boundaries we will set, and whether AI can develop its own conscience.
What future goals do you have?
One career goal that I’m working hard in progressing towards is becoming a senior engineer. A senior engineer is similar to being a manager such that I will be managing and delegating work to team members. However, I want to be a manager because it offers the opportunity to mentor younger engineers. I personally enjoy mentoring others, which is why I’m involved with SPIN Girls and started RemixCS in university, and assisting with each individual’s personal and professional development. Just as I’ve received invaluable advice from professionals, instructors, and mentors in the past, I want to step into a position where I can be a giver of resources and insight for the younger generation and students.
Aside from this career goal, my personal goals include traveling more, such as Japan and Italy, to experience new cultures and broaden my worldview. I’m also currently taking classes to become proficient in Spanish, which I hope to use in my interactions with others during traveling. In addition, another goal I have is to spend more time outdoors hiking and exploring the beauties in Washington!
If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
I would describe myself as curious because I always like to ask questions and learn new things. For instance, whenever I’m on my phone, it’s usually because I’m searching something up on Google and reading in depth about it on Wikipedia. Another word that describes me is courageous. Although it is uncomfortable to step outside of my comfort zone, I’m not afraid to try new things. I’m brave enough to be bad at something and I will try my hardest to learn new skills even if it takes a couple of tries. Lastly, I would describe myself as caring. I actively try to find ways to invest in the people around me and the community because I want to support others in reaching their successes. In addition, I believe in treating others the way you want to be treated, which is a belief that I try my best to do.
What motivated you to join SPIN Girls?
My experience with STEM outreach in university instilled in me the desire to continue pursuing efforts that contribute to bringing STEM enrichment to youth in my community. After moving to the Greater Seattle area, I found out about the SPIN organization and its unique mission. Wanting to mentor and support youth in their STEM exploration, I joined the SPIN Girls program. Seeing how over the years this program fosters opportunities, connections, and friendships, exposure to varying STEM fields, and soft skills like teamwork, communication, and asking questions helped SPIN youth grow in their confidence and knowledge excites me to continue volunteering for SPIN Girls. SPIN is not just a cool organization, but it has an inspiring and empowering mission.
What are you most looking forward to this year in SPIN Girls?
Most definitely the capstone projects! Each capstone project gives insight into each youth’s progression from the start to the end of the school year and their individual creativity and knowledge, which is encouraging and personally makes me feel immensely proud. Each youth has learned a lot from each Lab Day and having it all culminated in one final project is a great accomplishment that reflects individual growth and expression.
What advice would you give to current SPIN Girls students?
Generally, I would say to not be afraid. Be brave and courageous; take advantage of the opportunities and resources that SPIN has to offer! Don’t be afraid to ask questions or try new things because SPIN is a unique and safe space where learning and trying new things are encouraged and fostered. If you want to present something, then present it. If you want to try a new technology or method, then ask your cohort leads. If you want to learn more about someone’s job, then ask them. SPIN is different from your school; SPIN is a community where all your peers are interested in STEM just like you and support for one another is emphasized.
See you next month!
-Your Newsletter Social Butterflies 🦋
Spring into April
I’m writing this email from a cozy local coffee shop, where the sun is shining, and cherry blossoms are in full bloom—a beautiful reminder that spring has finally arrived.
Spring is a season of renewal and refreshment. After the long winter, we welcome the return of greenery, sunshine, and the vibrant energy of nature. Animals emerge from hibernation, pollinators resume their essential work, and the world around us bursts back to life.
As humans, we often see ourselves as separate from nature, but in reality, we are deeply connected. Like the plants and animals around us, we grow, evolve, and continuously strive to better ourselves—both individually and as a community.
Here’s to embracing growth and new beginnings together!
- Lauren and Jie Ying
Upcoming Events
SPIN Hangout #3
Friday, April 11th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Lab Day #4
Saturday, April 19th from 10:00pm to 1:00pm
Optional Field Day: Tide Pooling
Saturday, April 26th from 9:30am to 2:30pm
*Cap of 10 Youth!*
Fun Family Friendly Events!
Your Monthly Recap
March was a busy month for SPIN Forward - we had many exciting events including another hangout, lab day and a field day! Youth really brought the energy this month thinking creatively and learning fun new skills.
What Did We Learn About?
Mood Board Hangout
Our 6th/7th grade cohort lead, Jaidyn, hosted an amazing hangout workshop! We gathered to create our own mood boards, each showcasing our unique personalities and aesthetics. It was so much fun exploring 70s National Geographicmagazines, repurposing old fabrics, and even experimenting with leather! Creativity brought us together—join us at our next hangout!
Lab Day
6th/7th Grade: Hydroponic Systems – Students explored gardening by designing and building their own hydroponic systems, learning about sustainable food production.
8th Grade Biomimicry: Beeswax Wraps – Inspired by nature, students created reusable beeswax wraps as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, applying biomimicry principles to everyday sustainability.
9th Grade: Canning Strawberries – Students learned the art of food preservation by canning fresh strawberries, gaining hands-on experience in sustainable food storage techniques.
10th Grade: Green Building Design – Students got into sustainable architecture, designing eco-friendly building plans that incorporate energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Field Day
We were so happy to have 91 SPIN youth and families join us for our field day at the Seattle Aquarium! It was an incredible experience as youth explored three engaging stations: learning about the Ocean Pavilion, conducting Plankton Tows, using microscopes to identify the plankton they sampled, and enjoying a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Window on Washington Waters exhibit. A huge thank you to everyone who participated! We look forward to hosting more family events in the future.
Riddle of the Month!
I come as an early surprise,
Sneaking up on you in disguise.
You might believe what I say is true,
But beware... I may be tricking you!
Youth Testimonials
Do you want to share about your experiences in SPIN Forward so far? Then you are in the right place! Fill out this Google form, and we will feature your testimonial on our Instagram and/or website. We want highlight more of our amazing SPIN Forward youth, so this is a great opportunity for the community to learn more about you and SPIN Forward!
Click Here to Submit Responses!
Keeping Up with the SPIN Girls Team!
Meet 9th Grade Mentor: Lynette Shiroma
Introduce yourself a little:
Hi, my name is Lynette Shiroma, and I’m a lead project engineer at Boeing! I specifically work in risk mitigation and material obsolescence. Material obsolescence is the process where materials become outdated, no longer available, or no longer suitable for use due to factors like technological advancements, changes in regulations, or a decline in demand. This means that as a project engineer, I need to ensure that if materials become obsolete, there are alternative replacements so that planes can continue flying safely. A successful project requires an intense amount of coordination and collaboration with many different people: design engineers, materials or chemical engineers, supply chain and procurement analysts, and environmental engineers.
I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii as a fourth generation Japanese American and graduated from the University of Hawaii with a degree in mechanical engineering. I moved to Washington in 2009 for my first job at Boeing soon after graduation. After spending close to a decade working for Boeing, I worked for different aerospace companies for 3 years in both Washington State and California. However, I moved back to Washington to start working for Boeing again, which is also when I started mentoring in SPIN Girls.
I enjoy volunteering in STEM advocacy and in worker rights advocacy. Recently, I won an election to become vice president for my union (Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace), which has been an exciting experience! In my free time, I also enjoy watching soccer like the Premier League and women’s soccer, doing informational reading like reading textbooks, reading about psychology, or other nonfiction topics, and hanging out with my dog, a jack russell terrier mix.
What is your current job?
In Boeing, there are 6 levels of engineers. Currently, I’m at Level 4 as a senior engineer who has many years of experience in the industry, often involved with leading projects and mentoring junior engineers, and knowledgeable in a broad range of topics. One of the projects I’m leading is managing the impacts of 3M’s end of manufacturing PFAS by the end of 2025 on some Boeing products, ensuring alternates are ready under an aggressive deadline.
What are some challenges you have experienced in your job?
A challenge that I have faced is experiencing gender discrimination in my workplace from male co-workers. There is often this rosy picture of wanting more diverse perspectives from women, BIPOC, and other minorities in STEM, but this is not always the reality in certain workplaces or industries. Although I was experiencing gender discrimination, my male co-workers didn’t believe me.
This was because I didn’t have the proper documentation at the time to prove I was experiencing gender discrimination. That meant I also didn’t take legal action, especially since this company, like many other companies, has ready access to legal resources to make it seem like this is not what was happening. If I knew how to document better, then I would have tried to expose this issue. I didn’t, so the best I could do was leave that job. Looking back, I find it strange that information about how to document workplace discrimination was not readily accessible.
However, now as a union officer, I want to make efforts towards minimizing this issue by raising awareness and making resources available. During this time, I relied on an organization called Society of Women Engineers who provided guidance on my situation. Their support showed me that having a community of people who can understand your difficult challenges and bring encouragement and comfort is so crucial to having success in any pursuit or career. Your gender or any part of your identity should not discourage you from working in a field if you truly love it.
Another challenge I’ve found related to my job is the difficulty of entering the job market. I’m extremely grateful that I was offered a job right out of college, especially during the Great Recession, but I understand some of my peers at the time were not. While this was a challenging period of time, this challenge of landing a job has not changed in recent times. In many cases, they now want at least one to two years of intern experience for an entry level job in the aerospace industry. Furthermore, it is common to have massive layoffs every 8 to 10 years across many companies in this industry, which I’m fortunate to not have experienced.
Despite all of this instability and unpredictability, don’t be discouraged. A professor once told me that you should take a job because you love the work, not necessarily because of how stable it is at the time. This is because employers can tell when your heart may not be fully in it for the love of the work, which will impact your job stability more than your talent. Therefore, pursue what you love, and do it wholeheartedly.
What are some things you like about your job?
There are definitely amazing things about my job that I enjoy. For instance, I’m sort of a “unicorn engineer,” which is a cooler way of saying that I’m an engineer with enough experience and expertise to work anywhere. Because I’m familiar with all the parts in the product life cycle, I can work in areas like manufacturing, design, or testing and use my knowledge to innovate and accelerate progress. Also, because of my seniority and years of experience, I can mentor junior engineers, which are always exciting opportunities I look forward to!
Another aspect of my job I enjoy is being able to bring a collaborative and open approach to leading projects. My leadership approach is not exclusively delegating work, but a mix of leading and listening. There is a tendency for leaders to dictate how projects should be, but I personally believe all team members should have a voice in projects. Everyone is working together to problem solve rather than completing what someone dictates, which makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved.
What future goals do you have?
A career goal I have is to always try out new experiences and learn new things. Being curious has given me a better understanding of my identity, boundaries, and preferences. For instance, five years ago, I was in a dilemma of choosing to advance into becoming a lead engineer or advance into becoming an engineer manager. In my current Level 4 of engineering at Boeing, people rarely advance to this level because it requires years of experience, company level influence, and executive management support. Since my level upgrade was stalled, I accepted the opportunity to do a temporary assignment as an engineering manager.
Turns out, I didn’t really enjoy being in this management position because it wasn't centered around employee development and it was more about running the business. While this experience didn’t end with being enthusiastic about it, I discovered by trying out new things what my preferences are. What I learned about myself and my work through this experience also encouraged me to become more involved with my union. Subsequently, I began pursuing opportunities in my union to help guide other people to be successful in work and their careers: how to find the right career path, how to advance in a career, how to deal with a difficult boss, and more. Being involved with my union allowed me to assist with employee development outside of my small workgroup.
Now as the vice president for my union, I want to continue following the other part of my career goal, which is learning new things. I’m so excited to learn all about what it takes to be a good union officer and to bring support to workers.
If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
I would describe myself as compassionate, ethical, and headstrong, which also means determined or resilient. This is because these are the characteristics of servant leadership. This type of leadership leads without glory and is humble, kind, and honest. Leading like this is essential to having people who enjoy working with or for you. It also leaves a positive impression on others and results in many people looking up to you and wanting to stay connected. This concept in Hawaii Is also called “Living Pono” or living in harmony with one's self, community and the earth that sustains us.
What motivated you to join SPIN Girls?
I’m always looking for opportunities to help women in their journey into STEM or even deciding if STEM is for them. Although it is less common now, when I was in school during the early 2000s, there were negative stereotypes about women who pursue STEM. There were some people who made unnecessary comments like “you got your job because you're a woman” or “women who are smart aren’t attractive.” Having more representation of women in STEM allows us to have the power to overcome those stereotypes and find our community of allies and champions.
This is why I joined SPIN Girls: I want to contribute towards being a role model that students can look up to. When students see people who look like them do work that is not traditional or expected of them, it inspires students and gives them the strength to ignore negative stereotypes or comments discouraging them from pursuing that work. Therefore, exposure to diverse representation is important so that students believe nothing should hold them back from pursuing something they want to.
What are you most looking forward to this year in SPIN Girls?
I’m excited to see students’ capstone projects! I’m always amazed by the amount of creativity and artistic abilities students bring to their projects despite how technical it may be. In addition, I’m looking forward to watching students grow in confidence and into successful leaders as I’ve seen with the current 11th grade SPIN Fellows.
What advice would you give to current SPIN Girls students?
Don't be afraid of being yourself and having a brand that is different from the others around you. Many successes you could potentially achieve can only be unlocked if you embrace yourself, including your differences and uniqueness. In addition, I highly encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities to network with others, such as with mentors, cohort leads, and other SPIN staff plus professionals you meet through field days. Even if you find out you do not like STEM, these connections, especially SPIN mentors, can remain helpful guides and resources. Furthermore, SPIN and its people are a community that you can rely on. There might be a tendency to feel isolated or alone, but use SPIN to express your feelings and talk through issues. We, mentors, are here to support you to succeed, be happy, and learn!
See you next month!
-Your Newsletter Social Butterflies 🦋
Lauren Canto (she/her)
SPIN Girls Program Coordinator
10th Grade Cohort Lead
Jie Ying (she/her)
SPIN Girls Co-Director of Social Media
8th Grade Cohort Lead
MARCHing Closer to Spring!
March is here, bringing us one step closer to the warmth and renewal of spring! I always find joy in the soothing sound of the rain as it gently taps against the trees and the pavement, a reminder of nature’s rhythm. The rain nourishes the soil, refreshing the earth and making way for the beauty of springtime to bloom.
This month is packed with exciting opportunities to learn, grow, and celebrate together! We’re kicking off March by honoring Women’s History Month, recognizing the incredible contributions of women throughout history and within our community. Plus, we have some fantastic events lined up, including Lab Day, where we’ll dive into Capstone planning, Field Day, an exciting adventure exploring the incredible wonders of our oceans, and a special Hangout, a chance to relax, connect, and showcase who you truly are—inside and out!
There’s so much to look forward to, and we can’t wait to experience it all with you. Stay tuned for more details on these upcoming events, and let’s make March a month to remember!
Upcoming Events
SPIN Hangout #2
Friday, March 7th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Lab Day #3
Saturday, March 15th from 9:00am to 1:00pm
Field Day #4
February 15th 9:20-1:30 p.m.
So much to celebrate in March!
March is a month of reflection, celebration, and spiritual observance, marked by significant events across different communities.
Women’s History Month
March is dedicated to honoring the achievements and contributions of women throughout history. It highlights their struggles and successes in fields such as science, politics, arts, and social activism. This month serves as a reminder of the progress made toward gender equity while recognizing the ongoing efforts needed for true equality.
Ramadan
Starting at the end of February, Ramadan is a sacred month in Islam, observed by Muslims worldwide. It is a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. From dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking, focusing on spiritual growth and self-discipline. Acts of charity, kindness, and strengthening bonds with loved ones are central to this period.
Eid al-Fitr
Marking the end of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr—the "Festival of Breaking the Fast"—is a joyous celebration. Muslims come together for special prayers, festive meals, and charitable giving. Families and friends exchange gifts and express gratitude, embracing the spirit of generosity and unity.
Lent
Lent is a 40-day Christian observance leading up to Easter, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday. It commemorates Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert and emphasizes self-discipline, prayer, and repentance. Many Christians use this time for spiritual reflection and sacrifice, often giving up certain foods or habits to deepen their faith.
March Madness
March Madness is the annual NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament, held every March and April. It’s an elimination tournament featuring 68 men’s and 68 women’s college basketball teams competing for a national championship title. The tournament is known for its unpredictability, upsets, and buzzer-beaters, making it one of the most exciting events in sports.
Recap of Field Day #3
We jumped straight into our second lab day filled with exciting and hands-on activities! It was incredible to see the creativity of the youth shine as we explored their potential as both amazing artists and brilliant scientists.
What Did We Learn About?
Institute for Community Leadership
6th, 7th, and 8th Grade: We traveled to the Institute for Community Leadership, where we learned how to care for ourselves and others in the outdoors. Working together, we practiced tying knots, built a raft, and even helped care for the farm animals on the property! We ended the day with s'mores and a campfire!
Blue Origin
9th and 10th Grade: We visited Blue Origin where we got a firsthand look at careers in aerospace. Youth explored the Engineering Design Process by improvising and building their own rovers! The day wrapped up with a career talk, where staff shared their career paths and advice for youth interested in pursuing aerospace engineering.
Riddle of the Month!
I swim in waters, deep and wide,
Dreams and secrets are where I hide.
Emotional, gentle, creative too,
A pair of fish—who am I to you?
Keeping Up with the SPIN Girls Team!
8th Grade Mentor: Michelle McKeag
Introduce yourself a little:
Hi, my name is Michelle McKeag, and I am an Enterprise Data Architect with the King County government. I grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and went to University City High School. This high school was unique because it was situated in the vicinity of universities like the University of Pennsylvania and it had an elite math and science magnet program. I was part of this program and genuinely enjoyed it because of the specialized and advanced math and science classes. In addition, because this program had a small cohort, I got to build friendships with, work with, and learn from people who were also passionate about math and science.
After I graduated high school, I went into the informational technology (IT) workfield. While working, I went to night school and got an associates degree. Because IT is an ever-evolving field, I stay up to date about the latest technologies by continuously learning and gaining advanced certifications.
Throughout my career I’ve lived and worked in several cities throughout the U.S. I’ve lived in Dallas in Texas, Cleveland in Ohio, San Francisco-Bay Area in California, and now Seattle in Washington. I moved here in 1994 because I had friends who lived in Washington who suggested that it was a great state in which to live. I ended up feeling the same way because I’ve lived here ever since.
What is your current job?
In my job as an Enterprise Data Architect, I am responsible for designing databases to contain King County’s criminal justice data. My role is crucial in handling criminal justice data and ensuring data quality, security, and accessibility. I achieve this by regularly working with clients, such as agencies that manage the jails, the prosecutor’s office, and the courts, while building databases and reporting solutions. These clients may request reports on things like; how many people are arrested, the movement of people in jail, what the criminal record or history of a person is, and other things requiring access to criminal justice data. This shows the importance of databases and how the front-end of an application needs to properly retrieve information stored in the back-end of an application, in order to maximize efficiency while creating these reports.
The front-end of an application is the client side, focusing more on visuals, user experience (UX), and functionality. Examples of this are navigation menus and buttons, interactive elements like search bars and sliders, and responsive design for different screen sizes. On the contrary, the back-end of an application is the server side, focusing more on data storage, retrieval, and security. While the front-end is visible to the user or client, the back-end is not but is still crucial in processing requests from the front-end, interactions with databases, and smooth system operations. When databases are not properly designed, there can be performance issues, data inconsistency, scalability challenges, and security risks. Therefore, it is essential to have strong organizational and problem-solving skills and a careful attention to detail during the creation and maintenance of databases.
What future goals do you have?
I have been in the IT field for about 40 years now, and I’ve decided it’s time to move on to new and different types of challenges. When I was younger, I certainly enjoyed the constant cycle of learning upcoming and novel technologies. Every five years or so, there are shifts in the IT field where we transition from old programs and approaches to new ones that force workers to learn and adapt in order to be successful.
For instance, before our current era of cloud computing people relied on on-premises infrastructure, including physical servers, data centers, and local storage. However, now with cloud computing, people can access these computing services like servers, storage, databases, networking, and software over the internet or virtually. As another example, programming languages come and go. I started out using COBOL, PL/1, and DB2. Now C#, Python, and T-SQL are the norm. Learning new languages and processes has given me a rewarding and challenging career, however I am looking forward to the new and different challenges that retirement can bring.
I hope to start traveling more and learning more languages to broaden my worldview and cultural understanding. In addition, I want to continue my hobbies of sewing and arts and crafts, which I do for personal enjoyment and also as a way to share gifts with family, friends, and loved ones. I may even start a YouTube channel to share my experiences and expertise in working with databases since many people don’t realize how much of an effect databases and their accuracy (or lack thereof) can have on their everyday lives.
If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
My three words to describe myself would be diligent, dependable, and poised. Throughout my career, I have distinguished myself as diligent/hard-working by keeping up with the latest technologies in my field, consistently producing good work, and developing strong communication and collaboration skills. Despite the challenges, I persist. I am dependable not only in my professional life, but also in my personal obligations. I always strive to keep my promises and commitments as evidenced by the fact that I have been a SPIN girls mentor for the last four years. I know that others know, they can count on me. Lastly, due to recent emergencies in my life, I am reminded that my superpower is poise. I can remain calm and composed in a crisis.
What motivated you to join SPIN Girls?
I have previously done volunteer work that is similar to SPIN Girls, which is teaching young students programming. I taught students remotely how to use Scratch who then applied their skills in a final capstone project like creating a game. In addition, I helped fix any issues and offered suggestions on how to make their software better. While I enjoyed working with the youth, I recognized that I was more passionate about back-end databases than front-end programming. Furthermore, I wanted to teach more girls and people of color and be a helpful resource to them as a mentor. This led me to SPIN Girls four years ago, and I have been with them since then!
Aside from SPIN Girls, I have found other ways to support girls and people of color by giving talks to local organizations that focus on uplifting these groups of people like Project Girl in North Seattle. In that particular experience, I was a panelist that talked to young ladies about job interviews and professional development. I explained to them what to expect, how to answer basic questions, roleplayed as an interviewer, and gave general career preparation advice.
What are you most looking forward to this year in SPIN Girls?
In my first two years with SPIN Girls, I remembered how one to two students were assigned a mentor in each cohort. While I personally connected well with my mentees, I understand that sometimes these assignments do not always work out, and that is totally okay. However, with the new structure where mentors get to flow freely among students, I’ve gotten to interact with a wide range of students in each cohort. With this in mind, I am excited to continue bonding with the students in my 8th grade cohort. Furthermore, I would love to go to Mount St. Helens this summer for the SPIN retreat!
What advice would you give to current SPIN Girls students?
Continue with the program! From what I’ve heard and observed, people who have gone through the whole program have found it enjoyable and rewarding. It can be incredibly tempting to sleep-in during early Saturday morning, but SPIN Girls offers many great opportunities to learn new things and have fun doing it.
Have you heard about our Fellows Program?
SPIN Fellows supports SPIN Girls graduates in 11th & 12th grade in achieving their college and/or career goals. SPIN Fellows empowers SPIN Girls with individualized support and resources, building on the trusted relationships they have fostered with their fellow SPIN Girls, mentors, & SPIN staff members. The highly individualized nature of this program makes it unique among other college & career preparation programs.
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. 10 Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The SPIN Fellows juniors and seniors partnered with the First Tech Credit union to learn more about financial literacy. We talked all about the best budgeting, spending, and credit card practices! This will be an important skill for college and beyond, so it was great for the youth to learn real life skills that will benefit their futures!
That's all for now folks!
-Your Newsletter Social Butterflies 🦋
Gearing Up for'Pal'entine's Day!
The shortest month of the year is here, but it’s packed with so much to love. February brings us cozy winter days, bursts of kindness for Valentine’s Day, and the promise of spring just around the corner. It’s a wonderful time to celebrate love, friendship, and togetherness with family and your favorite pals. Whether you’re crafting Valentine cards, enjoying hot cocoa by the fire, or venturing outside for some fresh air, February is the perfect month to embrace life’s little joys.
Love and friendship are in the air this February—and so are some amazing updates! We’ve hidden a love-inspired riddle inside. Can you find it? Don’t ghost your newsletter besties—give it a read!
Here’s to a fun and heartwarming February!
Upcoming Events
Field Day #3
February 15th 9:20-1:30 p.m.
February is Black History Month!
Black History Month is a time to celebrate and honor the rich history, achievements, and contributions of Black individuals and communities throughout history. It serves as a powerful reminder that the United States was built on the backs of Black individuals, whose resilience, culture, and strength have shaped the nation in countless ways. However, it is also important to recognize that slavery played a foundational role in the country's growth, yet those enslaved and their descendants were never afforded the benefits of the wealth they helped create. This month highlights both the remarkable contributions and the ongoing fight for equity and justice,.
Recap of Lab Day #2
We jumped straight into our second lab day filled with exciting and hands-on activities! It was incredible to see the creativity of the youth shine as we explored their potential as both amazing artists and brilliant scientists.
What Did We Learn About?
6th and 7th Grade: Youth got hands-on experience learning about hydroponic systems and their role in sustainable agriculture! They designed their own hydroponic systems and kept journals to document the growth and development of their plants over time. Thanks to their incredible efforts, we now have a thriving sustainable garden at SPIN HQ!
8th Grade: Youth participated in workshop was centered around camouflage and its various forms. Youth engaged in an activity where they selected an animal and its environment, then painted on a canvas to make the animal blend seamlessly into its surroundings, while also explaining the type of camouflage they used.
9th Grade: Youth dove into the world of food safety with an exciting opportunity to take the food safety test! They also learned the best ways to organize fridge items like pros, ensuring everyone stays safe and healthy. It was an engaging and practical learning experience!
10th Grade: We engaged in a meaningful conversation about climate change and its effects on our communities. The discussion included the impact of the LA Fires on all of us and ways we can use our voices to push for change. The 10th graders expressed their creativity by designing posters to raise awareness about environmental issues. Additionally, we learned how to make beeswax wraps—an eco-friendly and food-safe alternative to plastic wrap!
Our First SPIN Forward Hangout!
What a fun evening! We spent the night learning how to use the heat press, ironing on our own patches to personalize hoodies and tote bags, all while watching The Lorax. The youth were so inspired by the creativity that they even made their own keychains! It was a blast sharing pizza and learning together through trial and error. We truly appreciated their patience and flexibility as we navigated the new equipment.
Love Our Events?
Don't miss this great youth event hosted by our partner, Y-WE!
Riddle of the Month!
I carry a bow and arrows to share,
I make people fall in love everywhere.
Though small and sneaky, my aim is true,
Who am I, bringing love to you?
Keeping Up with the SPIN Girls Team!
Meet 8th Grade Mentor: Nada Naser
Introduce yourself a little:
Hi, my name is Nada Naser, and I’m a Teaching Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington (UW)! This winter is my first quarter in this position, and I am currently teaching chemical engineering thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is a branch of physics that focuses on the relationship between heat, work, temperature, and energy and my class focuses on phase and chemical reaction equilibria. It is crucial in understanding how energy is transferred or moved around us, like in engines, pumps, refrigerators, power plants, and more.
I grew up in Egypt and moved to the United States at the age of 17 through a scholarship to study Chemical Engineering at Montana State University. This significant transition allowed me to experience new and different cultures, environments, and people! After earning my B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 2019, I started my graduate studies at UW in Seattle. Later on, I earned my M.S degree. in 2022 and Ph.D. degree in 2024 in Chemical Engineering and recently transitioned into my current role as a faculty member in the department.
During my time as a graduate student, my research project focused on the mineralization of inorganic nanomaterials using programmable and stimuli-responsive biological building blocks (for example: proteins, peptides, or synthetic analogs). More specifically, I studied the mechanisms and structure of mineralized materials at the interface of organic and inorganic components using surface characterization techniques and microscopy. Although this may seem like a lot of intimidating words, in essence, this project is an example of biomimicry at a very small scale. My research work mimicked biomineralization, which is a process carried out by living organisms to create rigid minerals using resources in their environment for support or function. This can be seen in shellfish, like clams and oysters, that produce inorganic minerals to create their protective shells. This can also be seen in humans (our skeleton and teeth). Overall, there are a variety of applications for biomimetic mineralization such as in energy storage systems, removing pollutants, and fighting climate change.
The transition from your home in Egypt to the United States is a major change; what general advice would you give for those in a similar situation?
When I first arrived in the U.S., it was a learning and adjustment process. I had to learn the community and cultural habits and norms like how to interact with people and how to make friends and try new experiences. Although the transition was somewhat frustrating at times, I grew to like U.S. culture, really enjoy the beautiful PNW, and cherish the community I have built here. I think if anyone is in a similar situation and is facing major changes or challenges, I would remind them that we are stronger and more resilient than we think. My advice would be to approach these challenges one day at a time with persistence and lightheartedness, and to reach out to our friends and community for support, and hopefully we will feel less overwhelmed or fearful over time.
What is your current job?
Currently, I am teaching core chemical engineering courses and managing a shared teaching and research instrument facility at the University of Washington. Through my Ph.D. research experience, I have gained both technical and research skills that I often share with my students to support them, help them solve problems, and to be a helpful resource. In addition, I share valuable approaches and strategies with my students to learn and succeed in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. When I am not teaching or doing research, I enjoy hobbies like hiking, yoga, crafts, hanging out with friends, binge watching shows, and more!
What other community programs are you involved in?
During my graduate school, I have been really involved as an outreach director for Women in Chemical Engineering (WChE), which is a student organization at UW that educates, empowers, and advocates for aspiring young women in my field, and has multiple chapters at different universities across the U.S.! WChE-UW hosts an annual community event series called “Introduce a Girl” where young girls and gender expansive folks from local elementary to high schools get to explore different STEM fields. Each year, there is a theme that guides demonstrations, hands-on activities, and interactive experiments during these events. For instance, in 2023, it was green technology, and in 2022, it was biotechnology. You can learn more about WChE by clicking here! Aside from this, I have also been a guest speaker/lecturer for different courses at UW, as well as my participation in mentorship programs to provide insights to undergraduate students about research and career/graduate school advice.
What future goals do you have?
One of my goals, which has been my career and lifelong goal, is to continue advocating for women and non-binary folks, in addition to other underrepresented groups and minorities, in STEM and other fields. Throughout the course of my career, I have developed a strong track record of teaching and mentoring, and without a doubt, I want to continue this as long as I can. I want to be a helpful resource of guidance, knowledge, and empowerment to young girls and women in all fields.
Another one of my future goals is to travel more. I want to explore and experience the diversities of the world. Travel helps with building a stronger global awareness and greater appreciation for or understanding of different cultures, nature, places, and people, which are things that I want to develop to help me better connect with others. With that in mind, I want to ensure that I travel with environmental conscience and sustainability in mind.
If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Hmm, this is a challenging question, but the three words I would describe myself with are funny, smart, and kind. Being funny is a trait that I picked up from my dad who showed me how humor can bring cheerfulness to and help ease stressful situations. This approach of being funny and lighthearted helps with building stronger communities and bringing people closer together.
Smart sort of speaks for itself; I have a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, and when people hear that they tell me I must be really smart! Lastly, I am a kind person, and I strive to be kind whenever possible. I think being mean or rude to people doesn’t solve anything and can cause divide and conflict, so it’s always best to treat people with kindness and respect. In addition, kindness is what reduces divisions in our community and strengthens it.
What motivated you to join SPIN Girls?
As I discussed earlier, my lifelong goal is to advocate for and mentor young girls and other underrepresented groups in STEM. While I got a start on this by being part of WChE at UW, I wanted to branch out and connect with different communities outside of UW. Through mutual friends and connections, I found out about SPIN Girls and was eager to join. This is because SPIN Girls aligned with this goal of mine and offered me the opportunity to work in youth education, which is a truly powerful and inspiring field of work.
Through programs like SPIN Girls, I’ve seen how young girls have been empowered and inspired to pursue possibilities that they previously thought were impossible, too challenging, or out of reach for them. By introducing good role models and engaging activities, demonstrations, or workshops, young girls are more confident in their abilities in pursuing careers outside of the traditional or expected ones.
One thing that I enjoy the most about SPIN Girls is how we emphasize the importance of building community and relationships. This program is more than just a classroom for students to learn; it’s about learning together and bonding with each other. Because of this, I believe that it removes a lot of pressure on students and allows them to feel comfortable and engaging.
What are you most looking forward to this year in SPIN Girls?
For sure it would be getting to know the students in my cohort better and better with each lab and field day. This is my first year with SPIN Girls, and I want to start strong with getting to know my students beyond just the surface level and have real connections with them. It has only been two lab days so far this year, so I’m excited to experience more activities, learning, and fun with these students.
What advice would you give to current SPIN Girls students?
Don’t forget to have fun! This is a reminder especially for 9th and 10th graders in high school, who have definitely shown their leadership skills and willingness to take the initiative during lab days. Working hard and being involved is important, but do not allow yourself to be consumed by pressure and obligations because that removes the fun, enjoyment, and passion from things. Use fun as a way to handle stressful situations and transform boring events to exciting ones. Having fun will allow you to explore new things, widen your perspective, and ultimately examine what you want to do in the future.
Thank you to Nada for taking her time to share with us!
That's all for now folks!
-Your Newsletter Social Butterflies
Lauren Canto (she/her)
SPIN Girls Program Coordinator
10th Grade Cohort Lead
Jie Ying (she/her)
SPIN Girls Co-Director of Social Media
8th Grade Cohort Lead
New Year, Same Community: Welcome to 2025!
With a new year upon us, we may experience a mixture of feelings such as excitement and anticipation, or uncertainty and stress. These feelings are normal, and most if not all of us can relate to this.
In other words, we are not alone in approaching this new year, meaning we here to support each other. Despite the changing of times or seasons, in our SPIN Girls community, the connections, friendships, and relationships that we built and continue to build with each other give us strength to tackle challenges and reach goals. Through this same, lovely community, we can continue to face new changes and novelties during this new year with confidence.
SPIN Girls Monthly Newsletter Re-Launch
If you missed last month's newsletter, we’re excited to announce that we have relaunched our SPIN Girls Newsletter! Each month, we’ll share updates to keep SPIN Girls’ families informed about the amazing activities and accomplishments of your youth. In this first newsletter of the year, you’ll find highlights of recent updates, SPIN Girls Team highlights, details about our latest program, and a preview of upcoming events for December. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out!
- SPIN Girls Team
Embracing our 2024-2025 Motto:
SPIN Forward!
We’re in full swing, and it’s been so exciting to see the energy and enthusiasm the youth are bringing to the program! They’re diving into all kinds of fascinating topics, fully embracing our new motto, and their curiosity is truly inspiring. Watching them ask thoughtful questions, jump into last month’s workshops, and make the most of every moment has been amazing. And honestly, while they’re learning so much, we’re learning just as much from them every single day!
We are in the process of transitioning from the name SPIN Girls to a new one that more accurately represents the diversity and inclusivity of our community, including gender-expansive youth. Adopting a neutral motto is a crucial first step in this shift. SPIN Girls welcomes cis girls, trans youth, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, and non-binary youth.
SPIN Forward is all about embracing a forward-thinking mindset, using STEAM to ignite curiosity, encourage teamwork, and spark real change. It’s not just about preparing young minds for the future—it’s about empowering them to shape it.
Haven't Finished Registration? Register Here!
Riddle of the Month!
I’m something people often make,
A promise for their own self's sake.
I aim to help you grow and thrive,
And keep your goals and dreams alive.
What am I?
Recap of Field Day #1
Our first Field Day was an incredible success! 🌟 We partnered with UW medical staff and students to host a Doctor for a Day experience.
Students explored exciting medical careers, diving into specialties like neonatology, adolescent medicine, and pulmonology.
Loved this event? Follow UW's Doctor for a Day on Instagram here!
What Did We Learn About?
This program focused on empowering youth through immersive, hands-on learning experiences that brought medical concepts to life. Here’s what we explored together:
Caring for Others: Participants learned essential skills like helping newborns breathe, listening to a baby’s heartbeat, and understanding the role of neonatal care doctors. It was so fun to see them learn hands-on how doctors provide dedicated care for tiny, premature babies. They also dove into lung health by identifying various conditions and even had the chance to try on a COPD vest, experiencing firsthand how this device helps people with chronic lung issues breathe easier.
Q&A Session: We ended the day with a vibrant Q&A session where participants asked thoughtful questions, shared feedback, and discovered the diverse paths doctors take to enter the medical field. These stories underscored that there are many routes to a rewarding career in healthcare.
Caring for Ourselves: We engaged in meaningful discussions about the importance of sleep, building strong routines, and fostering supportive systems to promote overall well-being.
The Highlight: They embraced the role of a doctor for a day, sparking curiosity and confidence in their ability to make an impact in medicine.
We can’t wait to see these bright and passionate young minds grow into the compassionate healthcare caretakers of tomorrow!
Upcoming Events
SPIN Girls Hangout! 🎨🌈
Friday, January 10th: 5:00 p.m. -7:30 p.m.
This hangout will be hosted at our Lab Days location, which is the Renton Technical College Annex.
Our main activity will be decorating SPIN Girls merchandise or your own clothes! We will have patches, patterns, fabric, paints, markers, and other goodies for you to personalize your clothing and inspire your creative being. Come bond with other SPIN Girls and enjoy free pizzas and snacks too!
SPIN Girls Lab Day 2! 🧪🥼
Saturday, January 18th: 9:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.
Join us for our second lab day! We will be diving deeper into the topics we tapped into in November! Let us know you are coming, RSVP below.
RSVP Here: SPIN Girls Hangout and Lab Day 2
Keeping Up with the SPIN Girls Team!
Meet 9th Grade Mentor: Kim Foster
Introduce yourself a little:
Hi, I’m Kim Foster, and I am a fifth year graduate student in the University of Washington Immunology department! I currently conduct research on tuberculosis, which is the #1 infectious disease killer in the world. As of right now, there is only one vaccine for tuberculosis that is outdated and not very effective, so alongside other researchers, I am trying to develop new vaccines or treatments to address it.
I went to Foster High School in Tukwila, and originally wanted to be a writer for a magazine or newspaper outlet. However, when I learned about the immune system in my high school biology class, I was fascinated by it and later became a biochemistry major. In university, I took an immunology course that furthered my curiosity in the immune system. After my undergraduate years, I worked at Fred Hutch to do research (which you can find here), applied to graduate school, and I’ve been here since then.
When I am not working in the lab, I enjoy being inside and doing cozy activities. I love playing video games, and some of my favorites include Baldur’s Gate 3, Stardew Valley, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild!
What is your current job?
In graduate school, I have a project to work on, which is basically my job. My project can be described as analyzing images of lungs that have been affected by tuberculosis to find out how to promote specific lesions developed in the lungs that allow for better immunity against the disease. This can help create a drug that encourages the immune system to develop those specific lesions in the lungs so that a person is better protected against tuberculosis.
Could you tell us more about graduate school?
I am in a PhD program in graduate school which means in order for me to complete my studies I need to find a new piece of information and publish that data in a scientific journal to contribute to the scientific knowledge of the world. Typically graduate school takes five years to complete, but depending on how your research progresses that could be longer or shorter! In addition to doing research for my thesis, I present my data in meetings, read the scientific literature to keep up to date in my field of research, TA for undergraduate students, and take classes. One really great thing about graduate school is that I get to choose my own schedule. On days where I have a lot experimentally going on I can stay late, but if I’m more free, I can work from home or take a day off as needed.
What future goals do you have?
Well, first and foremost, my goal is to make it out of graduate school. While this journey has been stressful and lots of work - sometimes I work for 12 hours each day for a few days, or up to 80 hours a week - graduate school is rewarding and paved the way for acquiring valuable skills and experiences that will prepare me for my future goals. For instance, it has taught me how to synthesize information and create new ideas, think critically and logically, and be persistent and patient.
Aside from this goal, my other future goals are to either go into biomedical research industries, like developing pharmaceuticals, or working in community outreach. This includes encouraging youth to engage more with STEM and promoting science education and awareness, such as its importance and relevance.
If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
I would describe myself in these three words: loud, curious, and fun. I am expressive about my thoughts and feelings, often resulting in me loving to talk (or yap) with other people. In addition to being open to connecting with people, I am open to learning new things; in other words, being curious! I think my curiosity is what inspires my passion for science. While there are many challenges in science, whether an experiment not being successful or a hypothesis failed, being curious gives me the willingness to seek out and try out new ideas or options that could solve the problems I encounter.
Although I am serious about my work, I also enjoy having lots of fun and a work life balance. Whenever I am on break or away from my work, the last thing I want to talk about with my coworkers is work-related things. What some of my coworkers have told me recently is that I am sort of a “distracting” person since I frequently find ways to have fun or distress from work. I don’t think this has a negative connotation since it is more of a light-hearted joke. What this highlights is it is important to work hard but to also have fun. This applies to school as well; have a good work life, or school life, balance!
What motivated you to join SPIN Girls?
When I was in high school, I was in a program similar to SPIN Girls that lasted two weeks in the summer. During this program, based on our own choice, we learned more about one of these three areas of research: HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. In addition, we learned how to do basic science research and how to culture cells and bacteria. Then at the end, we presented our “research.” We also had guest lecturers and listened to seminars to learn about all three diseases.
The program is now called the Research Training Program for High School Students coordinated by the Seattle Children’s Hospital. The coordinators of this program wanted to encourage more people of color, and other underprivileged communities, to explore science and gain confidence in their ability to pursue a career in science. Because this experience has supported me greatly in high school, I want to give back by supporting SPIN Girls’ efforts towards increasing accessibility and awareness of STEAM education among youth.
What are you most looking forward to this year in SPIN Girls?
I’ve been with SPIN Girls for a few years now, but I always look forward to all the lab days. During these lab days, I get the opportunity to interact with students, create new connections, and continue building on past connections with students, which are all things I enjoy and love about SPIN Girls because we are all here to support each other.
What advice would you give to current SPIN Girls students?
Step outside of your comfort zone, and do not be afraid to try things out! Trying something out can be scary because you do not know if you’ll enjoy it or be successful at it, but by the end of it, you’ll know yourself better and what you like or do not like.
Also, do not stress if you do not know what you want to do yet by the end of high school. There can be significant stress or pressure to know as soon as possible, but you have lots of time to explore. Try out a bunch of different things, even if they’re not directly related to what you want to do. You can still gain experiences that can help strengthen your understanding and expand your knowledge.
In addition, be willing to approach people, especially those who are in the fields you are interested in. Connect with them and ask questions; take advantage of the opportunity to learn from these professionals who love it when youth want to learn more about their job or career.
Meet Your Newsletter Social Butterflies! 🦋
Lauren Canto (she/her)
SPIN Girls Program Coordinator
10th Grade Cohort Lead
Jie Ying (she/her)
SPIN Girls Co-Director of Social Media
8th Grade Cohort Lead
Unity and Joy: Celebrating December Together
December is a time when communities come together to celebrate the many holidays that make this season special. Whether it’s crafting decorations, cooking cherished family recipes, or gathering in shared spaces, the focus is on connection and joy.
It’s a season filled with traditions, each reflecting the beautiful diversity of our cultures and beliefs. Through shared meals, storytelling, music, and acts of kindness, we create a tapestry of celebration that fosters connection. December reminds us all that the true magic of the season lies in the bonds we share and the memories we create together at SPIN Girls.
SPIN Girls Monthly Newsletter Re-Launch!
We’re excited to announce the relaunch of our SPIN Girls Newsletter! Each month, we’ll share updates to keep SPIN Girls’ families informed about the amazing activities and accomplishments of your youth. In this first newsletter of the year, you’ll find highlights of recent updates, SPIN Girls Team highlights, details about our latest program, and a preview of upcoming events for December. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out!
- SPIN Girls Team
Exciting News: Our 2024-2025 Motto is Here – SPIN Forward!
We are in the process of transitioning from the name SPIN Girls to a new one that more accurately represents the diversity and inclusivity of our community, including gender-expansive youth. Adopting a neutral motto is a crucial first step in this shift. SPIN Girls welcomes cis girls, trans youth, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, and non-binary youth.
Our goal is to empower and inspire young people by cultivating a supportive community that celebrates diversity and innovation, with a strong emphasis on creating an inclusive space for gender-expansive individuals. Maintaining our current name, which is not gender-neutral, may unintentionally exclude some groups by focusing too narrowly on one demographic. Updating our motto ensures that our mission aligns with our commitment to equity and representation.
This year, our motto blends innovation, learning, and empowerment to inspire the next generation of STEAM leaders. Through exciting, hands-on experiences, we’re helping youth build critical thinking skills, creativity, and the confidence to take on real-world challenges. SPIN Forward is all about embracing a forward-thinking mindset, using STEAM to ignite curiosity, encourage teamwork, and spark real change. It’s not just about preparing young minds for the future—it’s about empowering them to shape it.
🎉 Attention SPIN Girls Fam! New Merch Just for You! 🎉
We are so excited to introduce our SPIN Forward Collection—designed with YOUR youth in mind! 🖤
Each youth will receive 1 of each with our new logo:
👕 T-Shirts
🧥 Hoodies
🛍️ Tote Bags
Haven't Finished Registration? Register Here!
Riddle of the Month!
I’m white and cold and fall from the sky,
Catch me on your tongue as I float by.
I can make a snowman or a ball to throw,
What am I?
RECAP: Lab Day 1
Our first Lab Day was a huge success! Mentors, cohort leads, and youth came together to dive into engaging topics centered around STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). It was an exciting day filled with collaboration, hands-on learning, and exploration.
Lab Day 1 Topics:
6th/7th Grade: Introduction to Agricultural Science and Soil Testing
8th Grade: Introduction to Biomimicry
9th Grade: Introduction to Food Science
10th Grade: Introduction to Environmental Science and ESG Reporting
Here's to many more moments of growth and innovation! 🚀
Upcoming events: UW Doctor for a Day! 👩🏾⚕️
December 14th: 9:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
"Doctor for a Day," is designed to inspire and encourage middle school and high school students of color to pursue careers in medicine or healthcare. The program, organized mainly by students from the University of Washington School of Medicine, offers interactive, hands-on experiences that help participants gain insight into the field. These activities include learning physical exam skills, practicing patient interviewing techniques, and even trying out suturing. The program is a great way to spark interest in healthcare careers. Fill out the registration link below!
Keeping Up with the SPIN Girls Team!
Meet 8th Grade Cohort Lead: Jie-Ying!
Hi, I’m Jie Ying, and I’m excited to lead the Keeping Up with the SPIN Girls Team section! Each month, I’ll spotlight a different SPIN Girls team member so you can get to know us better. In this edition, you'll get to learn a little more about me! I’m currently a junior at Kentridge High School and a Running Start student at Green River College and former SPIN Girl!
What activities are you involved in?
I am currently a volunteer at Auburn Multicare Hospital helping out with restocking supplies and taking calls at the nurse’s station. I run cross country and track at my school and am involved with service clubs like Key Club and National Honors Society.
What future goals do you have?
I want to attend the University of Washington for molecular biology so that I can later apply to medical school to become a doctor. I want to specialize in orthopedics and/or sports medicine.
If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Open-minded, critical, and creative. I welcome input and feedback from others since I believe that they are valuable when it comes to my growth and development. However, I take time to reflect on what aligns with my beliefs, trying to stay open while sticking to my values. I also enjoy the arts and have hobbies like drawing/illustrating and writing.
What motivated you to join SPIN Girls?
When I was given the opportunity to become a cohort lead, I was extremely excited and grateful because it would support my professional development. This position is continually strengthening my interpersonal and collaborative skills with others and introducing me to aspects of professional work. I believe that the skills, experiences, and connections I will gain from working with SPIN Girls will prepare me for future endeavors.
What are you most looking forward to this year in SPIN Girls?
SPIN Girls has been going through many changes these past few years, with some familiar faces leaving and new faces arriving. I'm excited to see how old and new SPIN team members will work with each other to produce an even more inclusive and engaging experience for incoming SPIN Girls.
What advice would you give to current SPIN Girls students?
My biggest piece of advice would be to try to engage with the activities and experiences you are given through SPIN Girls. I wasn’t always present in all of the lab and field days when I was a SPIN Girls student, but when I was, it was definitely more enjoyable. Make connections and friendships in and out of your cohort because we are all here to support each other.
When it comes to school and extracurriculars, take your academics seriously and try your best. If you are passionate about something, stick with it fully and explore it completely! I think my biggest regret as a student overall is focusing too much on being “well-rounded.” It is better if you can excel in a field, whether that be niche or basic, then it is to be mediocre in multiple fields. Being a jack of all trades and master of none can be good and bad, and vice versa.
Meet Your Newsletter Social Butterflies! 🦋
Jie Ying (she/her)
Co-Director of Social Media
8th Grade Cohort Lead
Lauren Canto (she/her)
Program Coordinator
10th Grade Cohort Lead
“For this two-day program, students were led through the entire process of creating a recording, including setting up the space and equipment, capturing audio, analyzing takes, and light mixing of multitrack recordings. The program also highlighted soft skills like time-management, leadership, and conflict-resolution that go into creating a productive and harmonious recording session.”
NOVEMBER - The Month of Being Grateful
But Gentle With Our Emotions...
It is that time of year when everyone everywhere is telling you to be grateful. Of course as a SPIN Girl you have so much to be grateful for. But what if you are also overwhelmed, anxious, upset or just feeling a range of emotions that aren’t all positive and filled with gratitude? Well, we are here to tell you that that is absolutely normal and acceptable. You can express gratitude without it feeling like you are being fake or forcing yourself to only be positive.
If you want to make sure your approach doesn’t veer into ~good vibes only~ territory, think of giving thanks like a two-step process. First, take some time to notice (or write or say out loud) what’s going on in your mind at the moment. Let yourself feel any unpleasant emotions without judgment. Then, only after you’ve reflected on those, take time to note what you’re grateful for, keeping in mind that this can be anything—people, places, things, or situations, no matter how big or small. By acknowledging the negative and the positive, you’ll be reminded that both things can occur at the same time. This also does not make one emotion more important than the other. It is simply an acknowledgement that we are a whole human being with many emotions that sometimes conflict. One thing that helps me is saying things like, “I had a panic attack today, and it was scary, but I’m glad I got through it and it’s over.” Bam! True expression of negative and positive emotions.
Us SPIN Girls know that we embrace the engineering design process as an everyday part of life so we should embrace all the emotions within ourselves. We are so thankful that we get to teach you how to be confident and real in your life and apply that to your future endeavors. We recognize that SPIN Girls is a time commitment and can be challenging to juggle with everything else in your life. But we are so grateful for the time we do get to spend with you.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of program happenings, a reminder about lab day and a list of emergency and school districts resources with direct links or phone numbers to those resources. You will also find our program calendar which you should keep for future needs. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
MONTHLY RECAP
October brought us our first field days! We kicked off with our field day experiences with our partners from the Seattle Aquarium Connections program teaching the 8th and 9th grade cohorts all about the local salmon journey. Our friend and SPIN Girl resource expert on renewable energy and conservation joined us as well. Our 10th grade cohort had the amazing opportunity to experience astronomy and galaxy lessons and demonstrations at the Bellevue College planetarium. All three cohort field days were new partnerships that we are so honored to have. Each SPIN Girl expressed learning something they hadn't before and are excited to see what the rest of the year brings.
If you missed field days and would like to receive more information on the partners and experiences students had or you need assistance getting to our next field day. Reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager. Communication is our key to success this year and we are always here to assist you.
Not everyone has completed their SPIN Girls registration, program paperwork/permissions, or completed their surveys. Please do so immediately. Follow links below.
Registration links for Connect to our new students have been sent out. The email was sent from "STEM Paths Innovation Network" with the subject "Online Connect Access". Please use the link to make an account and fill out the assigned paperwork. If you are having trouble accessing these documents please let the SPIN Girls Program Manager know.
SPIN Girls Pre-survey and Best Starts For Kids assessment surveys were completed at lab day #1. Please go to THIS link and complete BOTH surveys. If you would like information about what surveys are used for please reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager.
Orientation/Welcome Back was on September 23rd. If you missed it please use THIS link to view the slide presentation. If you would like a pdf version sent to you or you have program questions, please reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager.
Here's the schedule for the 2023-24 program year.
Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
9th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
10th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
9th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
10th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
*Unless otherwise instructed by SPIN Girls team
SPIN GIRLS ARE GOING TO FLORIDA
Check the details below to learn more details about how you can register to join us for our science in motion trip to Orlando, FL
SPIN GIRLS RESOURCES
Emergency Resources
We understand that 911 is not always a safe option for folks, here are options to consider before contacting the police.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
988
National Domestic Violence Hotline
+1 (800) 799-7233
Self-Harm Hotline
+1 (800) 366-8288
Planned Parenthood Hotline
+1 (800) 230-7526
Alcoholism & Drug Dependency Hope Line
+1 (800) 622-2255
GLBT Hotline
+1 (888) 843-4564
TREVOR Crisis Hotline
+1 (866) 488-7386
The Trans Lifeline
+1 (877) 565-8860
Housing, Food, & Financial Resources
2-1-1
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
Emergency
911
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
Copyright © 2020 STEM Paths Innovation Network, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
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SPIN GIRLS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2023
They say it is Spooky Season...
Hey autumn, people call you the “spooky” season or the "depressing" season. But here at SPIN Girls we embrace this season. To us, it fits right in with our SPIN Girls values and there is nothing scary or sad about being a SPIN Girl! Here’s what we think of this season.
“In fall, the growing cycle gives us ripeness and maturity. The harvest is associated with abundance, prosperity and wealth. Humans also experience an “autumn”. If spring represents new birth and childhood, and summer symbolizes youth, autumn represents adulthood and maturity.” - Gwynn Scheltema
SPIN Girls challenges you to think of this season of grey skies, falling leaves and lots of rain, as your time to begin your journey into the brilliant student you will be this 2023-2024 academic year. Us SPIN Girls know that STEM+ is everywhere and that the engineering design process is an everyday part of life so we should embrace all that autumn has to offer. We can’t wait to spend the year with you on this journey of maturing.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of program happenings, the schedule for October, a link to the SPIN Girls program orientation and a list of school districts with direct links to their resources. You will also find our program calendar which you should keep of for future needs. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
MONTHLY RECAP
The end of September brought us the beginning of the official SPIN Girls program year! We kicked it off with our 2023-2024 program orientation. A week after orientation we welcomed our SPIN Girls into their lab day spaces. Both of these events brought lots of laughter, opportunities to learn about program participants, cohort leads and the fun learning experiences we will have throughout the year.
If you missed the program orientation please select the link below to view the slide presentation. Reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager if you have additional questions. Communication is our key to success this year and we are always here to assist you, just contact us.
Attendance goes towards student participation in the SPIN Girls program
RSVP to calendar invite or email required for all SPIN Girl cohorts
RSVP or email communication to be done three days before to field day event
Mark your calendars for Field Day #1
October 21st 10:00am to 1:00pm
Registration links for Connect to our new students have been sent out. The email was sent from "STEM Paths Innovation Network" with the subject "Online Connect Access". Please use the link to make an account and fill out the assigned paperwork. If you are having trouble accessing these documents please let the SPIN Girls Program Manager know.
SPIN Girls Pre-survey and Best Starts For Kids assessment surveys were completed at lab day #1. Please go to THIS link and complete BOTH surveys. If you would like information about what surveys are used for please reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager.
Orientation/Welcome Back was on September 23rd. If you missed it please use THIS link to view the slide presentation. If you would like a pdf version sent to you or you have program questions, please reach out to the SPIN Girls program manager.
Here's the schedule for the 2023-24 program year.
Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
9th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
10th grade cohort: 9:30AM - 12:30PM
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
9th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
10th grade cohort: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
*Unless otherwise instructed by SPIN Girls team
SPIN GIRLS ARE GOING TO FLORIDA
Join SPIN Girls on September 23rd to learn more details about how you can register to join us for our science in motion trip to Orlando, FL
RESOURCES
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
Welcome back!
Was it all a dream?! Summer has come and gone. We hope each of you were able to get the downtime you needed all while making memories. We are sending you all positive vibes for an amazing start to the school year! Please let us know if there's anything SPIN can do to help you with your school based learning experience.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of program changes, the schedule for September, an invitation to our required program orientation and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
MONTHLY RECAP
We truly hope that you our SPIN families were able to enjoy their summer break. Our Spin Girls had the opportunities to make some core memories this summer on our trips to Alaska and Mt. St. Helens. On these trips they were able to see wonders that truly may never be seen again, all while learning about the science around us. It was an unforgettable summer of the SPIN Girls 22-23 program year.
SPIN Girls staff have been busy preparing for the 23-24 program year by registering new students into the family, recruiting mentors, and learning some new curriculum for our cohorts and adjusting lab and field day experiences. We also grew the LAB@SPIN over the summer and can't wait to share all of the incredible creative space and specialized equipment with you! Please take a look at our website and our social media pages to get a glimpse at the amazing SPIN additions.
You received an invitation for the
REQUIRED SPIN GIRLS ORIENTATION ON SEPTEMBER 23rd at 10:00am.
Please make sure to rsvp and reach out to the program manager II, Keshiap@stempaths.org, if you have any questions. Attendance is essential for the continuity of our 2023-2024 SPIN girls program.
Orientation on September 23rd is required for all SPIN girls participants
and at least one parent/guardian.
All registered SPIN Girls for the 8th, 9th and 10th grade cohorts must attend Orientation on
September 23rd from 10:00am to 11:30am.
Attendance of SPIN girls participant and at least one parent/guardian is required.
Registration links for Connect to our new students have been sent out. The email was sent from "STEM Paths Innovation Network" with the subject "Online Connect Access". Please use the link to make an account and fill out the assigned paperwork before the start of our program, September 23rd 2023. If you are having trouble accessing these documents please let the SPIN Girls Program Manager II know.
Orientation/Welcome Back on September 23rd. Please make sure to register as attendance is required.
Here's the schedule for the 2023-24 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade cohort: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade cohort: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade cohort: 9:30AM-12:30PM
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade cohort: 10:00AM-1:00PM
9th grade cohort: 10:00AM-1:00PM
10th grade cohort: 10:00AM-1:00PM
*Unless otherwise instructed by SPIN Girls team
SPIN GIRLS ARE GOING TO FLORIDA
Join SPIN Girls on September 23rd to learn more details about how you can register to join us for our science in motion trip to Orlando, FL
RESOURCES
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
Summer! Summer! Summer Time!
It's Summer time!
It is June which means the completion of the 2022-2023 SPIN Girls academic program year has come! We certainly hope you enjoyed all of the lab days, field days, and hangouts with us during the 2022-2023 year. Thank you students for the extraordinary projects you presented at capstone. You could not have made the SPIN Girls program more proud. We shared so many amazing experiences together this year and can't wait to do it again next year.
But then again, who wants to wait until fall to continue having fun with SPIN Girls! Let's spend time together this summer! There are so many ways to stay connected make sure to check out the website and follow us on social media.
SUMMER RETREAT IS JULY 10th-14th and we want you there! It is going to be a week you will never forget! GO SIGN UP! We will be making our own rockets and taking an overnight trip to Mount St. Helen's. You do not want to miss summer retreat! There will also be a summer social, SPIN program collaborations to attend and many virtual connection opportunities integrated into our welcome back to programming for next year.
The new 2023-2024 SPIN Girls schedule has been released! Save the dates! Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
Looking Forward
Register for summer retreat in July!
Attend summer retreat and have a great time!
Refer a friend to register for SPIN Girls '23-24 program year and win a prize!
Come to summer social in August!
SPIN Girls welcome back is in September!
Next year we will have new and exciting field days and a travel experience to Florida!
Stay connected all summer long for updates and program event shares!
LOOKING FORWARD
CHECK OUR WEBSITES NEW PAGE CALLED OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM
SUMMER RETREAT IS JULY 10th thru 14th
When:
ALL WEEK
July 10th - 14th
Where:
3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Time:
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
SPIN Office address: 3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Here are the Saturday time schedules for the 2023-24 program year.
Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade: 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
9th grade: 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
10th grade: 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
Location is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, 98056
RTC ANNEX Building
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules unless otherwise directed by program manager
8th grade: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
9th grade: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
10th grade: 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Locations vary for field days. You will be given the location details at least one week prior to the field day experience.
SPIN Girls Hangout
Pop-up Friday nights during the program year.
Time:
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
Here's the schedule for the 2023-24 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any
Check out our new page on the stempaths.org website https://www.stempaths.org/opportunities-in-stem
RESOURCES
SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCE LINKS
School district resource pages change monthly via the district staff
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
Washington Homeschool Organization
SPIN FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
MAY 2023
May we continue to bloom with you!
You have all heard the sang April showers bring May flowers! We are firm believers in the power of growing through challenges. Our desire is to continue to bloom with you! During this SPIN Girls program year we have talked about how tough transitioning from out of a pandemic back into the full spectrum of life responsibilities has been for so many of us. We have talked about the stresses this academic year have brought to many. We have watched our amazing students persevere and continue to shine bright in all of their spectacular ways. SPIN as an organization has moved and settled into our new office and class space and have expanded and grown new programs. It feels like we have accomplished so much together this year and even though our program year is coming to a close we really want to continue to do all of this with YOU!
There are so many ways we want to stay connected in May, June and into the summer! May 13th is our last lab day and June 3rd is our capstone celebration. Summer retreat is going to be explosive! Literally and figuratively with the week we have planned for SPIN Girl students, make sure you sign up! There will also be a summer social, event pop-ups and many virtual connection opportunities integrated into our welcome back to programming next year. We listened to all of you and learned from this year. There are many changes and opportunities coming for next year and we need you to be a part of it. Keep blooming with us!
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of events for April and upcoming events for May and June. The schedule for lab and the save the date for capstone and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
*“April showers bring May flowers” means that even after long periods of adversity, good times will follow. “Adversity” means difficulty and hardship
Our 9th grade cohort and some of our SPIN Fellows went to the University of Washington department of Immunology for our last field day of this program year.
One of our SPIN Girls enjoying the hands on lab activity created by our UW immunology lab partners.
Students created artistic designs with bacteria and agar in petri dishes.
RECAP OF LAST MONTH
In addition to the amazing UW field day partner visit. All three SPIN Girls cohorts are creating their capstone projects and gearing up to have them on display at our end of year capstone event. We only have one more lab day and a hangout before the end of school year program celebration! We can't wait to spend this time with you and also share ALL of the things happening this summer.
https://forms.gle/51rZrUTvJzKPiYfFA
HOSTED BY
SPIN Girls
Join us for our end of year capstone celebration! Here you will have the chance to hear from our organizations founder, program team, mentors and students. View projects completed by our SPIN Girls students and receive exciting news about this summer and next year's program. Light refreshments will be served. Students will receive their participation stipend gift cards at the capstone celebration.
LOOKING FORWARD
CHECK OUR WEBSITES NEW PAGE CALLED OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM
LAB DAY IS ON MAY 13TH
When:
Saturday, MAY 13th
Where:
3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Time:
8th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - SPIN office
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - SPIN Office
10th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm - SPIN Office
Location for field days vary and lab day location is the SPIN office
SPIN Office address: 3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
MAY 27TH
ENRICHMENT CLASSES FOR STUDENTS GRADES 3RD TO 5TH
Register at: www.stempaths.org/renton
WE ARE PARTNERING WITH
UW HEALTH CARE EQUITY GROUP TO PRESENT DOCTOR FOR A DAY
When:
Saturday, MAY 20th
9am - 1:30pm
Where:
Renton Technical College Cafeteria
3000 NE 4th St, Renton, WA 98056
RESOURCES
SPIN FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCE LINKS
School district resource pages change monthly via the district staff
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
APRIL 2023
April is
Stress
Awareness Month
Every month, there are hundreds of national and international celebrations dedicated to raising awareness and support for meaningful causes. And while each one is important we try to pick one that seems to be most meaningful for our SPIN students. And oh my goodness the amount of stress that you all have as students and teens is tremendous and deserves to be recognized. We adults honestly don't have experience in what it is to be a teen and student in today's day and age. There is not only the extra layer of social media pressures but also the very scary and realness of the ever changing state of global health, school and public safety and so much more that have just increased year after year.
We at SPIN are fortunate to work with some of the most incredible teens and students not only because you are just great humans but also your dedication to your academics, extracurriculars, and interest in STEAM is beyond motivating for us. However, we also want our students to know how important it is for you to recognize how stress and emotions show up in your life. Are there things that you need to refocus? Have you taken on too much? Are you just feeling stressed out or is it something else? Is it time to ask an adult that you trust and you know cares about you to help you imagine, plan, create and make improvements in a healthy way, before it all feels too heavy? These are some of the things we want you to think about.
All of you have been taught how to use the engineering design process and this method of thinking can also work in your everyday life! Try it! Also, remember to make moments for joy and laughter each day. It is a way to remind yourself that amid all of the things you have going on in your life that you have no control over, you can let some light in each day with what you can control. Identify some ways to reduce your stress and let in some joy! A skill most adults wish they had learned at your age.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of events for March and upcoming events for April, the schedule for lab and field days, the schedule for Friday night hangouts, and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
Always helpful to know what might be going on with us!
For our March field day the 8th grade cohort was able to visit our partners over at the UW arboretum and tour the beautiful grounds.
Our partners at 343 Industries opened up their campus to our 9th grade cohort for the March field day. Students were able to do a deep dive into the world of game development.
Once again our amazing partners at TomBoyX invited our SPIN Girls students to come learn about all of the opportunities available in the world of fashion design.
RECAP OF LAST MONTH
In addition to the Three awesome field day partner visits. All three SPIN Girls cohorts also had a lab day on March 25th. At this lab day students were able to work on their capstone projects that will be shared at our end of year celebration on June 3rd.
We only have one more field day and one more lab day before the end of school year program celebration! We can't wait to spend this time with you and also share ALL of the things happening this summer.
LOOKING FORWARD
CHECK OUR WEBSITES NEW PAGE CALLED OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM
FIELD DAY IS ON APRIL 22nd
When: Saturday, APRIL 22nd
Where:
PLEASE CHECK EMAILS THAT WILL BE SENT WITH LOCATION AND ADDRESS DETAILS
Time:
8th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - Seattle City Light
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - UW Immunology
**10th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - Seattle City Light - NOTICE SCHEDULE CHANGE**
LAB DAY IS ON MAY 13TH
When:
Saturday, MAY 13th
Where:
3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Time:
8th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - SPIN office
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - SPIN Office
10th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm - SPIN Office
Location for field days vary and lab day location is the SPIN office
SPIN Office address: 3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
DURING THE MONTH OF MAY SPIN WILL HAVE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
JOIN US FOR SPIN FAMILY DAY MAY 20th
ENRICHMENT CLASSES FOR STUDENTS GRADES 3RD TO 5TH
MAY 6th, 20th and 27th
&
WE ARE PARTNERING WITH
UW HEALTH CARE EQUITY GROUP TO PRESENT DOCTOR FOR A DAY on May 20th
Open to all Middle and High School Students!
When:
Saturday, MAY 20th
9am - 1:30pm
Where:
Renton Technical College Cafeteria
3000 NE 4th St, Renton, WA 98056
CHECK OUT OUR ENRICH CLASSES FOR 3rd to 5th grades on May 6th, 20th and 27th
END OF YEAR CAPSTONE PRESENTATION AND PROGRAM CELEBRATION EVENT
JUNE 3RD
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Location is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, 98056
RTC ANNEX Building
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules unless otherwise directed by program manager
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Locations vary for field days. You will be given the location details at least one week prior to the field day experience.
SPIN Girls Hangout
Friday nights on the scheduled event nights
Time:
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any
April 7th Friday night SPIN Girls Hangout has been CANCELED
RESOURCES
Check out our new page on the stempaths.org website https://www.stempaths.org/opportunities-in-stem
School district resource pages change monthly via the district staff
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
SPIN FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
SPIN GIRLS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | MARCH 2023
IT'S WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH!
Did you know that women have only been allowed to attend college for less than 200 years. And the equal pay law for women has only been in effect since the year 2010. But women have been leading or supporting all of the aspects and categories that make up the fields of STEM since the beginning of humankind. This is why SPIN knows how important it is for young students like you to be a part of our programs! You are the people that will continue to change history and continue the work of all the women who fought rights before you.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of February's events and upcoming events for March, the schedule for lab and field days, the schedule for Friday night hangouts, and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
We encourage you to thank a strong woman in your life!
March 14th is national Pi day! Celebrate the most magically delicious mathematic number by checking local places near you for deals. Some places typically celebrate by having deals where item's cost only $3.14! Check out this website for ideas https://www.greaterseattleonthecheap.com/pi-day/
9th grade students that attended February lab day took their food handlers permit test during their lab session.
SPIN Girls used our brand new popcorn machine at February's hangout.
RECAP OF LAST MONTH
February meant that we have reached the half way point of our SPIN Girls program. That means that our students will begin working on their capstone presentations and preparing for our end of year celebration. This month at lab day the 8th grade cohort worked on furthering their understanding of biomimicry. The 9th grade cohort learned more about food safety and took their tests to receive their food handlers permits. The 10th grade cohort furthered their expertise on climate change myth busting and began deep thinking on their capstone projects and interviews.
We also had a lovely time at the SPIN Girls hangout enjoying time together, a movie and treats.
LOOKING FORWARD
FIELD DAY IS ON MARCH 4TH
When:
Saturday, MARCH 4th
Where:
PLEASE CHECK EMAILS SENT WITH LOCATION AND ADDRESS DETAILS
Time:
8th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - UW ARBORETUM
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - 343 INDUSTRIES
10th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm - TOMBOYX
LAB DAY IS ON MARCH 25TH
When:
Saturday, MARCH 25th
Where:
3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Time:
8th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - SPIN office
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - SPIN Office
10th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm - SPIN Office
Location for field days vary and lab day location is the SPIN office
SPIN Office address: 3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
YOU CAN STILL COME TO ALASKA WITH SPIN GIRLS!
June 27th to July 2nd 2023 (6 days and 5 nights)
Registration for the ALASKA TRIP is still open! Extended pay options are available. Ask financial assistance representatives for "extended payment options" to be able to pay after our trip.
If your SPIN Girl would like to attend please reach out to Keshiap@stempaths.org ASAP!
You can also watch parent information videos here and here.
We would love for more students to attend! Here are some ways to help with paying.
FLAG Scholarship- This is first come first serve, but we still have funds available, and any parent interested in applying should call us soon. This is a partial scholarship but can really help to put a dent in the cost and anyone with an adjusted gross income of less than $85,000 is encouraged to apply.
Extended Payment Plan- Everyone is eligible for this offer, allowing parents to continue making payments even after the trip. If you speak to parents who are interested in either program, please ask them to call customer service at 1-800-468-5899 and our representatives would be happy to help them.
Gift of Education- This is a great way for kids to raise money, especially around the holidays. Parents can find out more by visiting https://fundraising.worldstrides.com/, where they can create an E-card, Facebook link, or letter asking friends and family to help by giving the gift of education.
March 4th is Field Day March 25th is Lab Day
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Location is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, 98056
RTC ANNEX Building
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules unless otherwise directed by program manager
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Locations vary for field days. You will be given the location details at least one week prior to the field day experience.
SPIN Girls Hangout
Friday nights on the scheduled event nights
Time:
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any
RESOURCES
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
SPIN FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
IT'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
Women of color in STEM have overcome racial and gender biases throughout time to make a name for themselves and contribute to great causes, including many important African American women. These women overcame both sexism and racism to hold important titles and positions, contribute to significant discoveries, and push the boundaries of who is included in the history of STEM.
The following are names of some of the African American women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that you can further learn about if you are interested. Alice Ball-Chemistry, Dorothy Lavinia Brown-Surgeon, Mary Jackson-Engineer/NASA, Katherine Johnson-Technology/Moon landing, and Dr. Gladys West-Technology/GPS. Other important women of color in STEM include: Susan LaFlesche, Tu Youyou, Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Mary G. Ross, and many many more. These important African American women defied the odds, devoting their lives to making the world a better place through their STEM careers. While women of color in STEM careers have always faced difficulties, they have persisted to overcome inherent biases based on sexism and racism.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of January's events and upcoming events for February, the schedule for lab and field days, the schedule for Friday night hangouts, and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
We had a lot of fun making vision boards at our January SPIN Girls hangout!
8th grade SPIN Girls cohort learned how to become designers, marketers, brand creators and so much more at our TomBoyX field day!
9th grade SPIN Girls cohort learned all about the various opportunities in the field of construction with our MacDonald Miller field day partners.
10th grade cohort and a few SPIN Fellows visited Fred Hutch Cancer Center where they heard from a research scientist, had a hands-on lab activity and toured the facility.
RECAP OF LAST MONTH
We hope that your new year is starting off well. SPIN Girls entered the year 2023 with a hangout where students made vision boards for the new year. We also had three amazing field days at TomBoyX, MacDonald Miller and Fred Hutch Cancer Center. We hope that students are beginning to think deeply about their capstone projects and what they will be sharing with everyone at the end of the program year as we are entering our mid-year phase. Also, SPIN Girls cohort leads and mentors reached out to remind families that SPIN is here to support you and to just reach out if you ever find yourself in need of resources or connections.
LOOKING FORWARD
YOU CAN STILL COME TO ALASKA WITH SPIN GIRLS!
June 27th to July 2nd 2023 (6 days and 5 nights)
Registration for the ALASKA TRIP is still open! Extended pay options are available. Ask financial assistance representatives for "extended payment options" to be able to pay after our trip.
If your SPIN Girl would like to attend please reach out to Keshiap@stempaths.org ASAP!
You can also watch parent information videos here and here.
We would love for more students to attend! Here are some ways to help with paying.
FLAG Scholarship- This is first come first serve, but we still have funds available, and any parent interested in applying should call us soon. This is a partial scholarship but can really help to put a dent in the cost and anyone with an adjusted gross income of less than $85,000 is encouraged to apply.
Extended Payment Plan- Everyone is eligible for this offer, allowing parents to continue making payments even after the trip. If you speak to parents who are interested in either program, please ask them to call customer service at 1-800-468-5899 and our representatives would be happy to help them.
Gift of Education- This is a great way for kids to raise money, especially around the holidays. Parents can find out more by visiting https://fundraising.worldstrides.com/, where they can create an E-card, Facebook link, or letter asking friends and family to help by giving the gift of education.
LAB DAY IS ON FEBRUARY 11TH
When:
Saturday, FEBRUARY 11th
Where:
3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Time:
8th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - SPIN office
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - SPIN Office
10th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm - SPIN Office
Location for field days vary and lab day location is the SPIN office
SPIN Office address: 3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
February 17th is Hangout March 4th is Field Day
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Location is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, 98056
RTC ANNEX Building
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules unless otherwise directed by program manager
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Locations vary for field days. You will be given the location details at least one week prior to the field day experience.
SPIN Girls Hangout
Friday nights on the scheduled event nights
Time:
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
RESOURCES
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
Washington Homeschool Organization
SPIN FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
Copyright © 2020 STEM Paths Innovation Network, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
SPIN GIRLS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | JANUARY 2023
Happy New Year!
We hope that you all enjoyed your winter break and rang in the new year in a joyous fashion. As we enter this new calendar year we can't help our excitement for the amazing months of programming we have had and look forward to all that is yet to come. Lab days, field days, hangouts, volunteer opportunities, capstone celebration, the SPIN Girls Alaska trip and summer retreat are all ahead of us and it is all going to be so much FUN!
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of upcoming events, the schedule for lab and field days, the schedule for Friday night hangouts, and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
RECAP OF LAST MONTH
The first week of December brought us snowy weather and a lab day for SPIN Girls. Our 8th graders continued their curriculum journey into biomimicry with their cohort lead Parman Kaur. Our 9th graders welcomed their new cohort lead Jimena Prado and explored more aspects of their food science curriculum. The 10th graders continue to use their skills to debunk climate change myths with their cohort lead Amber Inwood. We love watching all of our SPIN Girls build their knowledge during lab days.
SPIN also had an amazing office warming party. There was music, food, crafts and lots of good vibes flowing throughout our new office space. Thank you to everyone that attended. We are always accepting donations to support the awesome work of SPIN. You can do so any time.
LOOKING FORWARD
YOU CAN STILL COME TO ALASKA WITH SPIN GIRLS!
Registration for the ALASKA TRIP is still open! If your SPIN Girl would like to attend please reach out to Keshiap@stempaths.org ASAP!
You can also watch parent information videos here and here.
We would love for more students to attend! If you would like to register for the trip please go here! https://worldstrides.com/register/ & register using Trip ID#206029
Field day is on Saturday, January 28th
When:
Saturday, January 28th
Time:
8th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - TomBoyX - Seattle field day location - Onsite location details will be emailed to 10th grade cohort
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm - MacDonald Miller - Seattle field day location - Onsite location details will be emailed to 9th grade cohort
10th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm - Fred Hutchinson - Seattle field day location - Onsite location details will be emailed to 8th grade cohort -
Location for field days vary and lab day location is the SPIN office
SPIN Office address: 3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Location is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, 98056
RTC ANNEX Building
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules unless otherwise directed by program manager
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Locations vary for field days. You will be given the location details at least one week prior to the field day experience.
SPIN Girls Hangout
Friday nights on the scheduled event nights
Time:
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any
RESOURCES
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
SPIN GIRLS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | DECEMBER 2022
Happy Winter SPIN Family!
As many of us experienced the first snow fall of the year in our areas, it is officially looking and feeling like winter and the holiday season. We hope that your academic year is off to a great start! We send you positive vibes as you are moving into winter break mode, that you are able to continue to excel in the classroom. We hope that you are able to celebrate the holidays with those you love and care for most.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of lab day, a pic from SPIN Girls Friday night hangout, the schedule for lab and field days, the schedule for Friday night hangouts, and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
MONTHLY RECAP
In November we had our first SPIN Girls field day for the 22-23 program year. Our 9th grade cohort visiting the YES farm of the Black Farmers Collective. There students learned the process of growing fresh produce in an urban setting such as the YES farm. Students heard from female and non-binary Black farmers. They shared their personal journeys into farming and why it means so much to BIPOC communities to learn about farming to create food security in our communities. Students also were able to have hands on experiences of turning the land over from summer produce to winter sleep. They also were able to harvest some collard greens to take home for their families to enjoy.
Our 8th and 10th grade cohort experienced the Museum of Flight in Seattle with the Aerospace education team. Students were able to learn how to create a flight path and check a plans body and equipment for flight. Students then put their newly learned skills into action by getting into real pilot flight simulators and flying the flight path they created. We then were able to meet a panel of amazing women in aviation. Their stories of overcoming a field that is predominantly male, were extraordinary and extremely motivating for our SPIN Girls.
We also had fun hangout! We came together to play games, eat snacks, decompress from a busy week of school and work and paint. The hangouts really are a place for our SPIN Girls to come and just be a teen. They are welcome to participate in the planned activity or to just hangout. We hope if you have not been to a hangout yet you make it to the next one!
YES Farm Black Farmers Collective
YES Farm Black Famers Collective
Museum Of Flight Seattle
Museum Of Flight Seattle
SPIN Girls at November Friday Night Hangout - Paint Night
RESOURCES
At SPIN we are always thinking of ways that we can help students have successful school years. We have opportunities for SPIN student participants to get assistance and resources in a multitude of ways. We have ways in which students can complete their volunteer and civic duty hours by volunteering with one of our programs or organization. We have resources for students to complete special projects. And we may even be able to utilize the expertise of one of our many mentors. All you need to do is reach out to your programs manager or one of our program managers and we are happy to assist.
Here is an interest form for a way SPIN Girls can volunteer with our
SPIN Girls Club 6th & 7th graders at one of their after school programs HERE!
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
Washington Homeschool Organization
LOOKING FORWARD
YOU ARE INVITED! TO THE SPIN OFFICE WARMING PARTY!
DECEMBER 8TH FROM 5:00PM TO 7:00PM
The SPIN Staff are welcoming all of our SPIN family and supporters to come help us make our new office feel like a home. There will be refreshments, beverages, live music, makerspace, a giving tree and much more. Please come and celebrate our new space with us!
RSVP
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/youre-invited-help-us-warm-our-new-office-tickets-468037732457 or
shorturl.at/mEV08 or
bit.ly/spinofficewarming
Lab day is on Saturday, December 3rd
When:
Saturday, December 3rd
Time:
8th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm
10th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Location:
3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Location is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, 98056
RTC ANNEX Building
Field Day Saturday Time Schedules unless otherwise directed by program manager
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Locations vary for field days. You will be given the location details at least one week prior to the field day experience.
SPIN Girls Hangout
Friday nights on the scheduled event nights
Time:
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any
Copyright © 2020 STEM Paths Innovation Network, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
3407 NE 2nd ST., Renton, WA 98056
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
SPIN GIRLS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | NOVEMBER 2022
IT'S FALL Y'ALL!
The leaves are changing and falling to the ground. The weather is cooling down and SPIN Girls had their first lab day! All of these things confirm that fall is here. We hope that school is also off to a great start for everyone. We hope that new skills and memories are being developed as each day goes by. We are always sending you all positive vibes for your time away from SPIN and we are always here for you if you need us! Please let us know if there's anything SPIN can do to help you with your school based learning experience. We have plenty of resources to share and you will never know exactly what until you ask.
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a summary of lab day, our very first SPIN Girls Friday night hangout, the schedule for lab and field days, the schedule for Friday night hangouts, and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
oct. 15, 2022 - 9th grade lab day - Food Science Curriculum
Oct. 28, 2022 - SPIN Girls Monthly Hangout Theme - Spooky Movie Night
MONTHLY RECAP
On October 15th we held our first SPIN Girls lab day for the 22-23 program year. We started our curriculum journey by learning about biomimicry, food science and aspects of environmental science. There is so much to learn and we can't wait to see what each lab and field day hold for our students. Lab days will be held at our new office location at the Renton Technical College ANNEX Building. This building is off the main RTC campus but holds all the security and function of the main campus buildings. We think we are all going to love using this space for programs, activities, makers space, hangouts, meetings and more!
SPIN Girls also had our first monthly themed Friday night hangout. This months theme was spooky movie night. SPIN Girls had fun playing games, watching a movie of choice and having tons of treats. Novembers theme will be paint night. We will make art on our own canvases and work together to paint some art for the new office space. Come hangout with us!
RESOURCES
At SPIN we are always thinking of ways that we can help students have successful school years. We have opportunities for SPIN student participants to get assistance and resources in a multitude of ways. We have ways in which students can complete their volunteer and civic duty hours by volunteering with one of our programs or organization. We have resources for students to complete special projects. And we may even be able to utilize the expertise of one of our many mentors. All you need to do is reach out to your programs manager or one of our program managers and we are happy to assist.
Here is an interest form for a way SPIN Girls can volunteer with our
SPIN Girls Club 6th & 7th graders at one of their after school programs HERE!
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
Washington Homeschool Organization
LOOKING FORWARD
Field day is on November 5th!!
8th and 10th grades are combined for THIS FIELD DAY ONLY!
When:Saturday, November 5th
Time:
8th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm
9th grade - 9:30am - 12:30pm
10th grade - 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Location:
8th grade - Museum of Flight main entrance
9th grade - YES Farm
10th grade - Museum of Flight main entrance
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
Lab Day Saturday Time Schedules
8th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
9th grade: 9:30AM-12:30PM
10th grade: 1:30PM-4:30PM
Location is:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, 98056
RTC ANNEX Building
SPIN GIRLS Hangout Details
When:
Friday nights on the scheduled event nights
Time:
5:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
3407 NE 2nd St., Renton, WA 98056
RTC Annex Building
SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
Copyright © 2020 STEM Paths Innovation Network, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
3250 Airport Way S, Ste. 742, Seattle, WA 98134
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SPIN GIRLS MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2022
Welcome to a New Program Year of SPIN Girls!
If you just joined SPIN Girls this year, welcome to the SPIN Girls newsletter! You'll receive this newsletter once a month. In it, you'll learn about what we did the month before and what we have to look forward to this month. We'll also provide resources to help you with schooling, mentoring, and life. If you ever have any questions about the newsletter, feel free to reach out to me!
In this month's newsletter, you'll find a recap of our welcome back gathering in September, the schedule for October, and some resources to help you out. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
- SPIN Girls Program Team
MONTHLY RECAP
September was welcome back month for not only school but to SPIN! We had a great in person open house style welcome back gathering with students, families and mentors on September 24th. At this gathering everyone that attended was able to meet each other. Receive an overview of SPIN Girls, get information about the upcoming year such as lab day location, curriculum and new mentorship activities. If you were not able to join please reach out to Keshia Porcincula SPIN Girls program manager to receive information or so that she can answer any questions you may have about the 22-23 SPIN Girls program year.
Continued update is that we also grew in programs and staffing over the summer! Please take a look at our website and our social media pages to get a glimpse at the amazing staffing additions and programs. We are so excited to share all of this with you and begin a fabulous year of learning.
RESOURCES
We love our public library systems. They offer so many different programs and resources for not only students but the community. Check out what Seattle Public Library and King County Public Library System has to offer.
SPIN Girls students attend multiple school districts throughout King County. We value our SPIN families and know that it takes a tremendous amount of resources to nurture a student and family to success. We want to remind everyone that there are always resources available to your families to ensure that they can reach their full potential, in whatever way they may need extra support. Below you will find direct links to each King County School Districts student, family and community resources page. We have also included links to WA public charter schools and WA homeschool organization. Our hope is that you use these links to inform yourselves of resources available to increase the success of your family at the beginning of the school year. We also want you to use these links throughout the year as more details or changes may become available on the district pages.
Washington Charter Schools Association for public charter schools in WA
Washington Homeschool Organization
LOOKING FORWARD
Registration links for Connect to our new students have been sent out. The email was sent from "STEM Paths Innovation Network" with the subject "Online Connect Access". Please use the link to make an account and fill out the assigned paperwork before the start of our programs. If you are having trouble accessing these documents please let the SPIN Girls Program Manage know.
Orientation to Lab Days and Lab Day 1 on October 15th at Renton Technical College Annex Building located 3407 NE 2nd St, Renton, WA 98056.
More scheduling information will be emailed next week.
Here's the schedule for the 2022-23 program year. Add these dates to your calendar so you don't miss any!
ALL Lab Days will be held at RENTON TECHNICAL COLLEGE ANNEX BUILDING
Renton Technical College Annex Building located 3407 NE 2nd St, Renton, WA 98056.
Saturday Time Schedules
Epic Cohort (8th grade): 9:30AM-1:30PM
Luminous Cohort (9th grade): 9:30AM-1:30PM
Stellar Cohort (10th grade): 12:30PM-4:30PM
SPIN GIRLS FELLOWS
Students who graduate from SPIN Girls are invited to apply for SPIN Fellows in the Spring of their 10th grade year. Fellows are accepted based on their commitment to SPIN Girls and their interest in pursuing a STEM career.
The goal of SPIN Fellows is to empower SPIN Girls students to feel confident in pursuing STEM college majors & careers. The vision is to grow a strong alumni community, supported by SPIN Girls mentors, staff, and other alumni. SPIN Fellows breaks down the barriers that girls of color face when exploring and pursuing STEM careers and shapes a more inclusive future.
For more information visit our website: https://www.stempaths.org/spin-girls-fellows
Copyright © 2020 STEM Paths Innovation Network, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
3250 Airport Way S, Ste. 742, Seattle, WA 98134
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.