Pitt's Student Volunteer Outreach Program adds Girl's Summer Camp

PITTSBURGH—The University of Pittsburgh Student Volunteer Outreach will hold four girls' summer camps at the Faith Tech Centers in East Liberty and Penn Hills, to strengthen the girls' math, science, and technology skills.

The TechSERVE camps will run weekdays during the weeks of July 14, 21, 28, and August 4. Two camps will emphasize math and science skills, while the other two will focus on technology skills. During the school year, Pitt offers TechSERVE after-school programming.

"The camps will provide educational summer programming to support the girls' success in subject areas where they typically struggle. We hope to prepare the girls to start the next school year," stated Stephanie Gundry, coordinator of the program.

University staff and interns from the Pittsburgh Public School's Start on Success program will facilitate the camp, in which the girls will learn keyboarding, basic word processing, Internet, technology, science, and math skills. They will use their newly acquired skills to complete a service-learning project in their community.

The camp will sponsor a field trip to the Carnegie Science Center and host guest speakers from the community to discuss careers in math, science, or technology and the challenges faced by women competing in a male-dominated field.

TechSERVE is a program of Pitt's Pennsylvania Service-Learning Alliance. For more information about Faith Tech or TechSERVE, please call 412-648-1440. Those interested in volunteering should email the volunteer coordinator at tserve@pitt.edu, or call 412-648-3580. TechSERVE is funded by the Vira I. Heinz Endowment.

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7/3/03/mgc