Debugging the Gender Gap
by Claire Gearhart, BHS sophomore/BPS101 Communications Dept. intern
On Tues., April 18, 2018, Batavia High School girls had the opportunity to go on a field trip to Yorkville High School to watch the documentary, “Code: Debugging the Gender Gap,” and ask questions to a panel of females in the computer science industry. This field trip was a wonderful opportunity for girls interested in majoring in computer science—or other related fields—to talk and learn about what happens when you get in the workplace.
“Code: Debugging the Gender Gap” highlighted the prejudice women can receive working in a male-dominated industry. It talked about how to handle these situations, and encouraged more girls to go into software engineering, a field desperate for more employees. Watch the trailer:
After the film, the panelists answered questions and shared their experiences in the field. Panelists included Michelle Middendorf, mechanical/industrial engineer, Caterpillar; Katharine Kost, chief information officer, Cabot Microelectronics; and Amy Chaaban, professor of information systems, Waubonsee Community College.
Overall, the field trip was a great opportunity for high school girls to explore a subject they were interested in, and learn what that subject could mean for their future. Thank you to Valley Education for Employment System (VALEES) for sponsoring this documentary. More of these types of events can be found on the BHS college and career website and in the e-newsletters sent to students from Angela Molloy, Batavia High School’s career counselor.
