On December 14, 2023, IGNITE Students from Skyline High School embarked on a Field Trip to Crunchbase’s office in San Francisco, CA. This IGNITE Program Event, organized by Halee Morgan, brought together a team of Crunchbase Volunteers, including Susana Chicano, Tiffany Fan, Laniah Lewis, Liz Lee, Brendan Dugan, Courtney Puckett, and Ashtynn Lawson.
The day was divided into three parts. In the first segment, students participated in a trivia session, learning about Crunchbase as a company and trying their skills in extracting data from the company website. The second part immersed the students in a hands-on front-end programming project, using Glitch to edit a webpage and Phind to practice coding prompts.
After the coding and website-building session, the day concluded with a panel discussion with Susana, Tiffany, and Laniah, where students eagerly sought advice from the Crunchbase Panelists. The students’ questions ranged from understanding why the professionals chose their respective careers to soliciting valuable advice on breaking into the STEM field.
The Panelists and other Volunteers emphasized key advice to the students, encouraging them to take risks, be confident, and persist in pursuing their passions. Joining STEM clubs and following one’s passion were emphasized as essential steps toward success.
The dedicated Volunteers from Crunchbase showcased the power of fostering a positive and impactful learning environment for the IGNITE Students, leaving the students excited about what they learned throughout the event.
Thank you to Halee Morgan for helping organize this amazing event, Liz Lee for contributing as Facilitator and Small Group Leader, and Brendan Dugan for being an amazing Activity Leader. Additional thanks to Courtney Puckett and Ashtynn Lawson for serving as Tour Guides and Small Group Leaders. A special thanks to the day’s Panelists, Susana Chicano, Tiffany Fan, and Laniah Lewis, for sharing their stories and careers with IGNITE Students. Finally, thank you to Dr. Ayo Akatugba for the support and encouragement you show your students.
After attending this event:
83%
of students are interested in STEM
74%
of students know more about STEM career choices and the benefits of working in a STEM field
64%
of students feel more confident in pursuing STEM
68%
of students gained perspective and feel more hopeful about the future
Here’s what the students thought of the event:
“This event inspired me because not all of the volunteers started young; some of them started learning how to do things when they were older. A takeaway from today is that it’s never too late to start a career in STEM.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to keep going with my architecture career, which probably counts as STEM. My biggest takeaway from this visit was the fact that women are needed in STEM.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today made me remember how interesting coding is, and I was inspired to look into coding again. Some of the big takeaways from today are that there are fewer women than men in STEM-related workplaces and that these field trips are to encourage girls to get into these careers. Thanks for having us.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event has inspired me because it’s shown me that women/girls should be more encouraged to join jobs in STEM. It has shown me that based on their experiences, finding a job in STEM isn’t that hard, even though you may not be taking classes for specifically STEM careers. It doesn’t necessarily matter because anyone could go into STEM if they try. My big takeaway from the field trip is that Crunchbase is a company that focuses on coding, which is something I didn’t know before. Another takeaway is that coding doesn’t seem like a boring thing to do because while I was doing it, I was actually having fun. Coding also is hard, like how I thought, but I think it is doable.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me by encouraging me to pursue STEM. The volunteers changed my perspective that pursuing STEM wouldn’t be so bad. The event also inspired me to maybe look into a coding class or club because it seems interesting. My big takeaways are that more women and girls should apply to STEM jobs or should look into it. Another takeaway is that STEM jobs are not as scary as they seemed.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“It was inspiring because the volunteers talked about how they didn’t think they would do these jobs. It’s never too late to start a STEM career.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“The volunteers helped me understand their experiences in high school, their backgrounds, and how they got their jobs. I learned how to code a bit! It was fun. I got to learn.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today made me feel more interested in coding. Thank you for having us today.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to focus more on deadlines because I always struggle with procrastination. My biggest takeaway today is that it’s never too late to change your career choice. Another takeaway is that taking breaks is okay.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to look at more data-driven jobs. It’s okay to be unsure about what you want to do in college/the future.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to pursue my interest in architecture so more than cis men can be a part of it.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to research more on jobs within programming and technology. Meeting people already in the field makes it feel more achievable. My big takeaways are that there are a lot of jobs in STEM, and as it continues to expand, I should keep an eye out for opportunities. Thank you to everyone at Crunchbase for having us!” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today taught me that being queer is no longer a restriction for getting jobs, and we need more women in STEM.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to think that what I do in college doesn’t always have to be my future. I can do something else later. That college and studying don’t pick my future. Thank you <3″ – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“The event inspired me today because I saw different points of view of Crunchbase workers discussing what they do day to day. It has also shown me their different journeys to their jobs. I learned about different science jobs. I also learned about their different paths. Thank everyone for having us!” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“It was pretty fun learning how to code a bit and how to change the format of something. One big takeaway from today is that it is okay to change majors.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today inspired me to look into more data-driven fields and showed me that I can pursue more than what my degree is in.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event showed me different perspectives of women in STEM and different ways to pursue STEM. You can pursue STEM in different ways, and women being in STEM is important.” – 11th Grade IGNITE Student
About Crunchbase:
Crunchbase is a company providing business information about private and public companies. Their content includes investment and funding information, founding members and individuals in leadership positions, mergers and acquisitions, news, and industry trends.
About IGNITE Program Field Trip Events:
IGNITE Field Trips offer a memorable, behind-the-scenes look at STEM in action and the wide range of career opportunities at the host company. Company employees interact directly with the students through an office tour, hands-on STEM activities, and IGNITE Panel and Q&A discussion.
About IGNITE Worldwide:
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world. Learn more at www.igniteworldwide.org.
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