I've had the very great pleasure of knowing Tracy Davenport, Founder and Director of Summer Days Math & Science Camp for Girls, for several years now, and she's one of those people that, the longer you know her, the more you admire her.
Tracy is a woman who, as a girl, was good at math & science. And as a girl, particularly in those formative years from ages 9 to 15, she discovered that for a lot of girls it wasn't "cool" to be good in those areas. Tracy, being who she is and having been raised in a family that encouraged her math & science aptitude, went to college and became an engineer, but she realized that the lack of women in her profession may have had something to do with girls moving away from math & science at this critical age.
So she set out to do something about it. In 1995 she founded Summer Days Math and Science Camp for Girls right here on the Shore in Kent County, www.mathandsciencecamp.com. This one week experience offers a rich and diverse program for middle school girls, many of whom attend on scholarship, and inspires them to visualize themselves as future scientists, mathematicians, engineers and rocket scientists (well, that's my wording, not Tracy's, but they could be if they wanted).
Camp also serves as an opportunity for girls to develop self-confidence and the skills to maintain positive, supportive relationships with one another which they can then practice in their home, school and professional environments throughout their lives. The girls live and study on the campus of Washington College in Chestertown, an inspiration in itself to envision themselves there one day. In fact, last year I was fortunate enough to attend "camp graduation" and Washington College President Baird Tipson himself congratulated the girls on their learning and told them he would "look forward to their applying to Washington College" in the future.
When I asked Tracy where most of her referrals come from, she said from mothers and grandmothers who want their daughters and granddaughters to have the opportunity to pursue education in fields that they didn't have. So if you're one of those Moms or Grandmoms, Tracy won't be surprised to hear from you.
For many of the girls, this represents an almost life-transforming experience. I am reminded of a poster I have that says "I am not the same having seen the moon shine from the opposite side of the world". It speaks to the power of experience to open our eyes to a whole different realm of possibilityes. That's a pretty powerful accomplishment for a week! For many girls, the experience of being in a rural environment and in nature and on the water, is something they will remember for years. And it's augmented by visits from women working in math and science who come to talk to the girls about their experiences and careers, and to encourage them to pursue their dreams.
Indeed, it's an accomplishment that has not gone unnoticed. Summer Days Math and Science Camp for Girls has received national attention from the The Association of Women in Science Magazine and National Public Radio. In 2002, the camp was recognized with the Maryland Excellence in Minority Achievement Award. There are more awards, but it would embarrass Tracy to mention them all, so please just go to www.mathandsciencecamp.com and read about them. And if you want to get a peek at some happy campers, here you go! As the young folks say, "Peace out".
