Sep 14, 2024
And if history's clear, the flames always end up in ashes
what seemed like fate becomes "What the hell was I doin'?"
Babylon lovers hangin', lifetimes on a vine
Do you miss mine?
seen from Poland
seen from Netherlands
seen from Germany
seen from Saudi Arabia
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from France
seen from Austria
seen from France
seen from China
seen from China
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Poland
seen from United States
seen from Mexico
seen from South Korea
And if history's clear, the flames always end up in ashes
what seemed like fate becomes "What the hell was I doin'?"
Babylon lovers hangin', lifetimes on a vine
Do you miss mine?
Well that was fun!!! Encore event tomorrow evening...#summerspark #drivethru #covidcompliant #goodtimes #themineshaft 🔥🖼🔥🖼🔥 (at The Mine Shaft) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDDqBn3pHoo/?igshid=1n387l7jdj3yp
Spotlight: Anika Volentine
Each month we spotlight a woman or girl in tech who inspires us. This month we are highlighting Anika Volentine. She is in 11th grade at St. Anne's-Belfield School where she takes Computer Science Principles and was one of the student organizers for the SPARK! Hackathon in January.
How do you work with technology today? I, like most students, use technology every day to complete school work. Almost all of my assignments require me to use a computer or phone, and I always type written essays. Other than for school, I use technology to keep in touch with my friends, play video games, and code.
What drives your interest in technology? My interest in technology stems from how big of a role it plays in my life, and how little I actually know about it. I want to learn more about the things I use every day, and hopefully one day create my own piece of technology, be it hardware or software.
What do you remember about your first coding experience? About one and a half years ago, I did a computer science summer camp at STAB, which was the first experience I had with coding. I remember at first being pretty frustrated because I didn't understand what to do, but after I practiced for a few days, I fell in love. The idea that I could create literally whatever I wanted was mind-blowing to me, and I knew from then on that I wanted to pursue computer science.
What was your pathway to working in technology? From a pretty young age, I've always loved to play video games. I'd spend all my free time in elementary school playing on my Nintendo or going over to a friends house to play on their X-Box or Wii. My interest in technology began when I was in middle school and decided that instead of playing other people's games, I wanted to create my own. It wasn't really until high-school that I had the opportunity to pursue this at summer camp. That school year I participated in the Hackathon, which was what I consider to be the biggest turning point for me to pursue computer science. It was such a good experience for me to work with beginners like myself while also having guidance of people who knew how to code. Since then, I have tried my best to immerse myself in technology and computer science and to go to as many events and experiences as I can.
Why is it important to get more girls and women interested in technology? Growing up, lots of girls believe that their professional options are limited simply because they are female. A big area where this happens is the STEM field. Lots of girls show interest in computer science at a young age, but the number of female graduates in STEM is significantly smaller. We need more girls and women to be interested and to pursue tech because no one should think that they can't do something simply because they are a girl.
Who inspires you to pursue your passion? I have been lucky enough to have a few amazing teachers who inspired me to do what I love. One such teacher is Mr. Zach Minster, my computer science teacher and advisor. He emphasizes the importance of doing what you love, and not letting who you are limit that. In his class, my skills in computer science have improved dramatically through his project-based learning course. While there are overall guidelines for the projects, ultimately I am able to create whatever I want which for me provides the best learning experience.
What most excites you about the future of technology? For me, the most exciting invention in technology is Virtual Reality. I love the idea of being fully immersed in a virtual simulation or game. I am very excited to see how the technology improves and changes, and I would love to see a full-immersion type experience eventually.
What advice would you give to your younger self? Not to let anything stop me from doing what I love, and that computer science really isn't as scary as I think it is.
Msg me for a sample #limitedtime #summerspark