It wasn’t long ago that the now self-assured, 14-year-old ninth grader at Orange Glen High School in Escondido was lacking in self-esteem and uncertain about her future. That changed when she discovered Girls Inc. of San Diego, a nonprofit organization that equips girls to navigate gender, economic and social barriers so they can grow into educated and independent adults. Its Eureka! program, a five-year STEM education initiative, is putting that effort into overdrive.
“Our goal is focused on developing a more seamless transition for girls going from middle school to high school and from high school to college and career while focusing on STEM fields,” said Esmeralda Landin, a Girls Inc. program coordinator guiding the Eureka! program.
Eureka! invites an annual cohort of students, many of whom will be first-generation college applicants, onto local college and university campuses for rigorous, STEM-based summer programs. Participants sign up as eighth graders – a time when research shows they begin to experience a waning interest in STEM – and continue through high school.
“Just connecting with others who share your interests and come from similar backgrounds allows you to form lifelong friendships, all while focusing on science, math, and technology,” said Olivia, the once-shy ninth grader at Orange Glen High School.
“Being a Eurekan has made me more comfortable and more confident and has really supported me academically. Just connecting and staying in touch with other Eurekans who are doing well in school has really motivated me to do well, also.”
Helping Launch Eureka!
San Diego Foundation (SDF) played a critical role in helping Girls Inc. launch the Eureka! program when it provided a two-year grant to the nonprofit in 2023. A total of 65 girls and young women have taken part so far, with most coming from North County-based middle and high schools.
The first two years of the program are focused on immersing students in STEM learning while building their self-esteem and confidence. Third-year participants begin mentoring first-year girls while continuing their foray into STEM. Year 4 and 5 participants focus on internships, career pathways, and college planning with an adult mentor.
Fernanda Sebastian is a believer. She’s been involved with Girls Inc. since she was a junior in high school and served as a Eureka mentor during the program’s inaugural year. She’s now a junior at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where she’s majoring in animal science.
“My experience really solidified my interest in STEM and being able to share my knowledge with younger girls has been especially motivating.”
It wasn’t always that way. This is how Fernanda shared her journey:
“I got involved with Girls Inc. when I was in middle school because I was really shy, and I needed to step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there. There were a lot of discussions about being first-generation students.
“I was always embarrassed about my English and my accent, and I vividly recall my mentor telling me, ‘You took all these steps to be where you stand today, never be embarrassed about who you are.’ That changed my perspective from being something negative imto being something positive.
“When the opportunity to become a Eureka mentor came up, it turned out to be one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had. I got to teach a lot of girls about STEM, a lot of science experiments, a lot of lava lamps and discussions about why certain chemicals reacted in a certain way. A lot of robotics.
“It led me to find my passion in animal science, and being passionate about what I do really impacted the girls to be passionate. Which is really important, because for a lot of girls, especially girls in the Hispanic community, they go to school because they have to. Having this opportunity illustrates how we all, deep down, want to learn as human beings. Just look at babies and their excitement at taking their first steps. For these girls, they just have to have a spark that turns on a light and drives them to learn more.
“It’s like an epiphany.
“To this day,” Fernanda continues, “I still have these notes that the girls I mentored wrote me after summer camp. They’re like my little sisters.”
Fueling Opportunity as Part of Fifty & Forward
Through the Education pillar of San Diego Foundation’s Fifty & Forward campaign, support for programs like Girls Inc.’s Eureka! program helps girls build confidence, find community and pursue possibilities that can truly change the course of their lives.
Says Olivia: “Girls Inc will continue to make a difference in me as I grow and experience new things. Like I have said, Girls Inc. has changed me to be able to speak with others better without much fear, being able to try new things, and just has inspired my future.”
