As it stands, a small percentage of students entering the engineering field are women – an average of 15%.  This number is a good sign, in the “1980s approximately 6% of engineers in the U.S. were women” (ASME.org).  Reasons for this have traditionally pointed to a lack of role models and various societal misconceptions of what it means to be an engineer.  Downey Unified School District is putting their finger to the pulse of this issue and has been doing so for two years in a row.

Sticking to their vision, Downey Unified School District has been a part of the growing Femineers movement and has developed a strong partnership with local university Cal Poly Pomona.  Cal Poly Pomona has been a valuable partner to the district, leading their students and cultivating interests.  In a statement, DUSD’s Director of CTE and STEM notes that, “We are very proud that Downey Unified is represented so thoroughly within the Femineers program” (thedowneypatriot.com).

We recently had the opportunity to touch base with the participants at from Doty, Stauffer, and Griffiths middle schools, and they shed light on their experience in the program over the last 1-2 years.  When asked to define this in one word, DUSD’s Femineers said: Inspirational, empowering, unforgettable, encouraging, challenging, awesome, adventurous, and unique.  These ladies made it very clear how special being a Femineer is for their future.

One student wrote, “The whole experience opened my eyes to multiple new possibilities.  I now know that I can do many things that I didn’t know I was capable of doing.” Overall, the response from DUSD’s Femineers illustrates that they are being challenged and presented with opportunities to pursue their dreams and are gaining a competitive advantage for their future in this field of study.