STEM Ambassador Whitney Aragaki Highlights Activities of Annual CompuGirls Hawaiʻi Summit
By Whitney Aragaki
On Friday, July 8, the Oʻahu co-working space, Entrepreneurs Sandbox, started filling up with high school students for the CompuGirls Hawaiʻi Summit. The murmur of unease and quiet introductions mixed with varied shrieks of reunions filled the large conferencing room. We brought together over fifty students interested in cybersecurity, computer science, and information technology from across the state. Some of these students participated in virtual programming a year ago with our mentor teachers, some more recently engaged in the Girls in Tech camp held at the local university a week prior, and for others, this was their first engagement with the CompuGirls program.
To begin the day, students heard from a panel of mana cyber wāhine (female leaders in cyber) and their journeys from young learners in high school to upper-level positions in the military and industry. Following the panel, students engaged in breakout sessions that gave them hands-on opportunities to deconstruct and repair computing hardware, review cyber hygiene, and prepare themselves for post-secondary and internship success.
By the end of the summit, the volume of the room greatly increased, with the active networking of students and presenters, the exchange of social media handles, and the hum of community building. The consistent belief and messaging that these cyber leaders believed in, and will support, these participants warmed the space. A student aptly shared, “I learned from women around the island that not only shared their story, but what they had to do to get where they are now. [I enjoyed] being able to meet people that can help me as I work towards my future goals.”
As CompuGirls Hawaiʻi transitions into the third year of programming in the state, student voice is shaping the trajectory of engagement opportunities. Based on feedback from participants, CompuGirls will continue year-round events and collaborations in addition to offering industry certifications and local internships in cybersecurity and information technology.
