Our Blog
SPIN GIRLS FEBRUARY 2023 NEWSLETTER
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 JANUARY 2023 NEWSLETTER
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 DECEMBER 2022 NEWSLETTER
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 NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER 2022
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
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
SPIN GIRLS OCTOBER 2022 NEWSLETTER
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.