This content was published: March 19, 2004. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
PCC hosts 9th middle school girls conference
Photos and story by James Hill
ROCK CREEK CAMPUS – Hundreds of middle-school aged girls will get an opportunity to peer into the world of science and technology at the Ninth Annual Math, Science and Technology Conference for Middle School Girls.The PAVTEC Education Consortium will host more than 500 girls from 23 metro-area middle schools, including every middle school in Washington and eastern Columbia counties, as well as five to seven Portland Public Schools’ middle schools. The event will be held this year at PCC’s Rock Creek Campus, 17705 N.W. Springville Road, from 9:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 16 to explore their burgeoning interest in science and technology.The special keynote speaker this year will be Erica Ritter, who is the science educator from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI.) Ritter, who has a bachelor’s degree from Hampshire College in physics and art, conducts workshops for students of all ages and speaks to many groups. She is the co-author of a book titled, "The Ultimate Girls’ Guide to Science," and has had a few illustrations published.Activities for this year’s conference include, "Ladies of the ARC" by Connie Christopher, PCC welding instructor; "It’s not a Man’s World Anymore: Women and the FBI," by FBI special agent Sandra Flint; "Tools of the Trade in Biotechnology," by Kendra Cawley, director of PCC’s Biotechnology Lab Technician Program; "Aerodynamics and Paper Airplanes," by Katie Leonard, flight instructor with Hillsboro Aviation and much more.The event encourages middle school girls to set goals and aspire to achieve by offering a day of exposure to professional women. The women provide positive role models and hands-on experiences that hopefully will impact the girls as they return to their school and home environments to become successful students.The PAVTEC consortium is located at the PCC Rock Creek Campus and is made up of high schools in the PCC district. It encourages access to professional and technical education for high school students. The event is co-sponsored by PAVTEC Education Consortium, Intel and the Oregon Department of Education.For more details, visit Middle School Girls Conference.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »