CPS Energy hosts SciGirls to inspire pursuit of STEM careers
Most of us see a Saturday morning as a chance to sleep in after a busy work week. Instead of enjoying a day off, some of our team members took the opportunity to invest in future female leaders. More than 10 employees hosted a fun interactive learning experience for 15 girls, ages 8 – 12, who participate in KLRN’s South Texas SciGirls program. As a sponsor, CPS Energy is hosting meet-ups throughout the year to engage and inspire these girls to excel in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Jennifer Herrera, Community & Media Engagement Manager at KLRN-TV, said the meet-ups are organized with the intent to give girls an experience they’ll never forget.
“Our hope is that the SciGirls will remember these meet-ups as they become older and look to the female subject (matter experts) who host our meet-ups, and remember they can pursue careers (in these fields), too,” said Jennifer. “We couldn’t do what we do with South Texas SciGirls without the support of CPS Energy. This program is funded by CPS Energy, and we remind our SciGirls that everything in our program is made free for them due to the support of CPS Energy. We truly appreciate CPS Energy’s support.”
Our Enterprise & Public Safety and Community Outreach teams highlighted important topics like fire safety, CPR and the importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on the training grounds of our Eastside Service Center. Kids smashed cantaloupes with hammers while learning about the risks of not wearing a hard hat on the job. They spent time outdoors learning how to handle a fire extinguisher in case of an emergency. Then, they hopped on our Mobile Support Center to learn more about safety and how we support our customers through community outreach.
Andrea Guadarrama, Sr. Manager of Safety & Health, enjoyed providing these young girls with a learning experience she never had growing up.
“Growing up, I didn’t have the level of outreach kids are getting today,” said Andrea. “Programs that encourage STEM are changing the way young girls approach learning. The more we are able to promote STEM education, the more we grow as a community and shape the next generation of leaders.”
CPS Energy employees like Andrea enjoy dedicating personal time to give back to the community they love. Last year, more than 1,100 employees teamed up with family members and friends to provide local charities and non-profit organizations with more than 20,000 hours of service.
“I love working with a group of individuals who are willing to give up their Saturday to help and support that effort,” said Andrea. “It makes me proud of where I work and the people I work with.”
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