Ada Lovelace Day -- Finding Ada
http://blog.findingada.com/get-involved/
http://findingada.com/about/
I think, for my Finding Ada I will write about Andrea Stonecipher.
She doesn't have any idea that she was one of my heroes. After today she will.
Once upon a time, I was a young geek/nerd/outcast. I had been shunned at my old school, and started a new school at Rome Community Consolidated School.
Life wasn't much easier at my new school, kids still teased me, although not as much as my old school. But there was one girl who made everything seem better.
She was a cheerleader. She was on the volleyball team. She was definitely one of the cool kids. And she was also a nerd/geek.
And I don't mean that in a bad way. I mean she was in the advanced classes. She was good at math. She was taking the 'extra curricular' self study computer courses that one could complete instead of study hall.
And because of that, it was ok for me to be good at those things too. And I think, not just me, but the other girls in the class as well. As an adult, I studied math education, and learned that at that age, 11-14 or so, many girls talented in math and science 'go underground'. They stop trying to be good at these subjects, the theory is because they aren't considered 'girly' or that the girls feel the boys won't like them as much if they're better than them. Because Andrea wasn't afraid, and lead the way, other girls in the class were free to do so as well.
I remember in particular there was a special weekend course that was being taught at the junior high for math enrichment. There was only one place left, and Andrea and I both wanted to go. I figured that I'd be left out, but it turns out that place was made in the class for both of us. Turns out Andrea's father was teaching and made an exception! It meant a lot to me that I got to be included that day.
Oh, I still struggled with social skills. I always did. Still do. But I owe my continued love of math, science and computing -- in part at least -- to Andrea. She was a shining star showing that being smart and being liked and popular weren't mutually exclusive.
Thank you.
It's several decades overdue, but thank you.
http://findingada.com/about/
I think, for my Finding Ada I will write about Andrea Stonecipher.
She doesn't have any idea that she was one of my heroes. After today she will.
Once upon a time, I was a young geek/nerd/outcast. I had been shunned at my old school, and started a new school at Rome Community Consolidated School.
Life wasn't much easier at my new school, kids still teased me, although not as much as my old school. But there was one girl who made everything seem better.
She was a cheerleader. She was on the volleyball team. She was definitely one of the cool kids. And she was also a nerd/geek.
And I don't mean that in a bad way. I mean she was in the advanced classes. She was good at math. She was taking the 'extra curricular' self study computer courses that one could complete instead of study hall.
And because of that, it was ok for me to be good at those things too. And I think, not just me, but the other girls in the class as well. As an adult, I studied math education, and learned that at that age, 11-14 or so, many girls talented in math and science 'go underground'. They stop trying to be good at these subjects, the theory is because they aren't considered 'girly' or that the girls feel the boys won't like them as much if they're better than them. Because Andrea wasn't afraid, and lead the way, other girls in the class were free to do so as well.
I remember in particular there was a special weekend course that was being taught at the junior high for math enrichment. There was only one place left, and Andrea and I both wanted to go. I figured that I'd be left out, but it turns out that place was made in the class for both of us. Turns out Andrea's father was teaching and made an exception! It meant a lot to me that I got to be included that day.
Oh, I still struggled with social skills. I always did. Still do. But I owe my continued love of math, science and computing -- in part at least -- to Andrea. She was a shining star showing that being smart and being liked and popular weren't mutually exclusive.
Thank you.
It's several decades overdue, but thank you.