In just over a month, the TIMARA studios will host its first ever Girls Electronic Arts Retreat (GEAR). Led by Technical Director Abby Aresty, the Girls Electronic Arts Retreat (GEAR) is a 5-day day camp for local 3rd to 5th grade girls that fosters curiosity, creativity, and confidence through playful, collaborative projects that integrate science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Aresty will be joined by a team of current TIMARA majors, graduating seniors, and other Oberlin College students. At GEAR, kids will make their own contact microphones to paint with sound, make their own paper speakers, and listen to hidden electromagnetic fields and much more!
Asked why she is launching GEAR, Aresty said, “according to a recent study, the perception that certain fields require an innate brilliance is enough to deter many women from pursuing careers in these fields. Another study found that girls as young as six years of age tend to believe that brilliance is a male trait. By the time they reach college, women in technical fields are often already at a disadvantage since their male peers have been immersed in the culture for years; without the right support system and peer group, it is easy for them to think that a career in technology is simply not for them. At GEAR, we are committed to helping girls build confidence in technology in a supportive environment through fun, hands-on activities.”
The pilot session of GEAR has been made possible by generous funding from the Oberlin Conservatory Dean’s office, the Oberlin College and Conservatory’s grants office, the TIMARA Department at Oberlin Conservatory, the Bill Long Foundation, and OCA, with additional support from Oberlin Conservatory’s summer programs and the Oberlin City Schools.
Registration ends May 22 – visit the website and sign up your child for GEAR! – KR
