STEM Conference presenters guide students through hands-on activities, giving eighth graders a chance to apply science concepts during sessions on March 30.

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - At a moment when eighth grade girls are beginning to think seriously about high school and the paths ahead, more than 700 students from dozens of schools across the Yuba-Sutter region gathered March 30 for a day designed to widen those possibilities.

Hosted by the American Association of University Women, the annual STEM Career Conference introduced girls from campuses including Yuba Gardens, Live Oak Middle School, Meridian, charter schools and private schools across the region to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, fields collectively known as STEM. For more than a century, AAUW has worked to expand educational and economic opportunities for women and girls, and the Yuba-Sutter branch has made STEM outreach a central part of its mission.

Organizers said the conference is designed to meet girls at a pivotal moment before high school course selections begin to shape long-term academic and career pathways.

Rachel Henry, an eighth grader at McKinney School, moves between sessions at the STEM Conference on March 30.

The conference, held at Yuba College, brought students face-to-face with women working in fields where they remain underrepresented, offering both practical insight and something less tangible but equally important: a sense of belonging. AAUW leaders intentionally target eighth graders because research shows girls’ confidence in math and science often begins to dip during middle school, even when their performance remains strong. By connecting students with women who have built successful careers in STEM, organizers hope to counter stereotypes and reinforce the message that talent and curiosity, not gender, determine what is possible.

Yuba College President Tawny Dotson welcomed students at the start of the day, encouraging them to take full advantage of the opportunity to explore careers they may not yet have considered and to see themselves in those roles.

Throughout the morning, students rotated through sessions led by women working in a wide range of professions, including engineering, forensic science, health care, data science and skilled trades. Presenters spoke not only about education and job requirements, but also about the realities of their work, from flexible schedules and field assignments to the challenges of entering male-dominated industries.

Ashley Spicer, a forensic wildlife specialist, uses vintage animal pelts during a presentation to help students identify big cats at the STEM Conference on March 30.

Some described nonlinear career paths, while others emphasized the importance of curiosity and persistence. Many told students they had not known their own direction in eighth grade, a message that resonated throughout the day.

For a small group of students, the experience built on something they had already begun. Three of the girls attending the conference were selected as seventh graders for Tech Trek, a competitive summer STEM camp held at UC Davis.

Jaiya Ohri, an eighth grader at Barry School, said the camp helped sharpen her focus.

“I’ve always been interested in the medical field and engineering,” she said, adding that the experience allowed her to explore both through hands-on learning and exposure to new subjects.

Ohri said attending the conference this year reinforced that interest while introducing additional fields she had not previously considered.

Julie Goldwyn, a retired teacher and AAUW volunteer, stands with Jaiya Ohri, an eighth grader at Barry School, during the STEM Conference on March 30.

Julie Goldwyn, a retired teacher who has volunteered with the American Association of University Women the past five years, said the conference continues to reach students at a critical stage in their education. The event, she said, is powered almost entirely by volunteers, including retired educators, engineers, health care professionals and community members who return year after year to coordinate presenters, guide student groups and keep sessions running smoothly.

“The goal is to give girls exposure to opportunities they might not otherwise see and the confidence to pursue them,” Goldwyn said.

Students moved through three rotating sessions during the day, hearing from presenters in classrooms across campus. The schedule was designed to give each group a mix of careers and perspectives, allowing students to compare experiences and share what they learned with classmates.

Rachel Henry, an eighth grader at McKinney School who also attended Tech Trek last summer, said she has not yet settled on a specific career path, and that the opportunity to explore different fields is part of the experience.

“I wanted to see everything I could do as a girl and hear from women who have achieved things usually done by men,” she said.

Henry said she enjoyed sessions that introduced careers she had not previously considered, including forensic science, which she described as interactive and engaging.

Nanki Bains, an eighth grader at Butte Vista School, pauses at the end of the STEM Conference on March 30 before heading to lunch.

That sense of exploration, organizers and presenters said, is exactly the point.

Krista Corbin, dean of business and computer science at Yuba College, told students her own path was far from linear. At different points growing up, she said she wanted to be a pop star and later a spy before eventually finding her direction, attending multiple colleges along the way.

Corbin encouraged students to remain open to change, noting that interests evolve and that discovering the right path often takes time.

Bains, an eighth grader at Butte Vista, said the confidence in her shown by teachers and the panel of judges that selected her for Tech Trek opened doors she had not known existed. Earning straight A’s and already taking freshman-level math, she said her interest in science continues to grow as she looks ahead to high school.

“I feel like this was a wonderful opportunity to explore STEM, and I wish more girls could do it,” she said. “It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

She said the conference continued the Tech Trek experience, pointing to sessions that introduced new career paths, including wildlife forensics.

“I never knew about a wildlife forensic specialist until today,” she said.

By day’s end, students returned to the gym for lunch and evaluations before boarding their buses, many carrying new ideas about what their futures might hold.

The conference is made possible each year through local fundraising efforts, including the annual Garden Tour on the first Saturday in May in Yuba City, which supports sending girls to Tech Trek and sustaining the program for future students. Local sponsorships from businesses, service clubs and individual donors help keep the conference free for schools and ensure transportation is not a barrier for rural districts, an essential piece of AAUW’s mission to expand access and opportunity.