Ampere and Women Changemakers Fund of Kawartha Lakes celebrates successful first inSTEAM event

Surrounded by leaders in science, technology, engineering, art and math, as well as their peers, community supporters and educators, participants of the first ever inSTEAM event on March 25, spent the day connecting, learning, sharing and exploring what life in STEAM could look and feel like.

The event, a partnership between the Women Changemakers Fund of Kawartha Lakes

and Ampere Canada, as well as community partners, invited youth to see themselves in industries where women and gender-diverse individuals are traditionally underrepresented.

“From opening remarks, the keynote speaker and the panel of women leading in STEAM fields, to the artist leading in a collaborative mural and humanitarian groups offering insight into opportunities many students may feel drawn towards, the supportive energy in the Makerspace yesterday was palpable,” said Vanessa Doucet-Roche, senior director of operations and impact for Ampere.

“This was a day where insight, knowledge and wisdom was freely and graciously shared, from one generation to the next as well as from leader to leader, student to student. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who made this experience what it was and hope the students hold onto the feeling that they can create a path for themselves in STEAM, knowing they have a community rooting for them,” Doucet-Roche continued.

Prior to the event, Marlene Morrison Nicholls, founder of Women Changemakers Fund of Kawartha Lakes, noted that without intentional, accessible, interactive programming, we risk losing a significant portion of our future workforce to outdated stereotypes. “It was my hope to inspire young women to consider building their education and careers around areas that they may not have thought of or felt they could achieve,” she said. 

Looking back on the success of the day, Morrison Nicholls says, “This day was even more than I hoped for.”

“They say ‘you can’t be what you can’t see.’ Well, today, 100 young women and gender-diverse students saw exactly who they can become. And that is because of every single person who worked to bring this event to fruition,” she added.

Along with the strong demonstration of support for youth in Kawartha Lakes, the day also underlined the importance of collaboration. It was through the support of a number of partners that this vision was made possible.

This supportive team of organizations includes PVNCCDSB, TLDSB, Make Stuff Move, Launch Kawartha, Organize with Lee Anna, Kawartha Community Foundation, Kawartha Lakes, Baker Tilly, DiBello Group Real Estate, Rural Youth Leadership Fund, VCCS, IG Private Wealth Management McInroy & Associates, Mackey Funeral Home Inc., BGC Kawarthas, and Human Services & Justice Coordinating Committee.