Courtesy photo

Four local students have been chosen by the Fallbrook branch of the American Association of University Women to attend Tech Trek Science Camp for Girls at the University of California, San Diego July 15 through 21.

Jessica Leon, Ilse Pineda, Samantha Geikie of Potter Junior High and Amanda Amiri of Sullivan Middle School will attend this week-long summer program for eighth-grade girls sponsored by the American Association of University Women of California (AAUW-CA). Alternate campers selected are Danielle Harlow of Sullivan Middle School and Roselia Mendez of Potter Junior High.

The girls will get a taste of college life while learning that math and science can be fun and a good career choice.

During the recent Fallbrook AAUW Math and Science Recognition Breakfast, guest speaker Lorraine Pillus, professor of Molecular Biology at UCSD, invited the girls to visit her molecular biology lab while on campus for Tech Trek this summer.

The students will live in dormitories on the UCSD campus during camp and will attend classes featuring hands-on experiments taught by credentialed middle school teachers. Women who are professionals in the fields of math, science and technology will be guest presenters.

Highlighting the activities will be field trips that include a Scripps Institute marine science boat trip, snorkeling in La Jolla Cove and the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.

AAUW volunteers serve as camp directors, nurses and chaperones/counselors.

Students are nominated by teachers and then are interviewed by the Fallbrook AAUW branch that provides scholarships for the students to attend. The branch makes the final selection of campers.

Since 1998, the Fallbrook AAUW has awarded 27 camp scholarships to local eighth-grade girls. The Fallbrook AAUW branch has received Tech Trek financial support from Rally for Children, which will fund one full scholarship at $700.

The first Tech Trek was held at Stanford University in 1998, with initial funding from the AAUW Educational Foundation. This year there will be six camps throughout California college campuses attended by nearly 600 campers. From left are Lorraine Pillus Ph.D., Jessica Leon, Ilse Pineda, Samantha Geikie, Amanda Amiri , Danielle Harlow, Roselia Mendez and Susan Duling, chairwoman.