American Association of University Women

Women's History Presentations

This Program is currently inactive.

Holiday Festivities

For our annual Holiday Party, Sunshine Chair Laurie Baker wrote a cute variation on The Night Before Christmas. See "The Night Before Christmas - the Paradise Version" here.

Tech Trek

Our branch provided scholarships to send these local 8th graders to Tech Trek at U.C. Davis this summer. The girls competed for these scholarships and spent their week at Davis living in a college dormitory, eating in the dining hall and studying engineering, wildlife biology and robotics. They also enjoyed a magic show by the UC Davis Dept. of Chemistry, visits to the School of Veterinary Medicine, the Bohart Museum of Entomology, the Mondavi Center for Performing Arts, enjoyed Zumba and bowling and learned about bats, earthquakes, nutrition, financial responsibility and more.

Each year the Paradise Branch of AAUW selects and sponsers three to four young women to attend Tech Trek Science & Math Camp at UC Davis.

The week-long residential summer camp offers 13-year-old girls entering the eighth grade a spectrum of hands-on activities in math, science, and technology, with core classes, mini labs, field trips, and special evening activities. All teachers, presenters, and staff members are women and, except for core teachers, all volunteer their time.

Paradise Branch campers live in college dormitories at UC Davis, eat in the dining commons, and experience life as it is lived on a college campus. Because many girls are from families who have never been to college, we want our Tech Trekkers to see that college is, indeed, possible for them.

Science teachers from local schools nominate students who demonstrate academic potential in science and math and would profit from this experience. Since first attending Tech Trek in 1999 (the first camp was in 1998), Paradise Branch has sent more than thirty young women to UC Davis (or, in the earlier years, Stanford University), including four returning as Junior Counselors and one as Senior Counselor.

Paradise AAUW’s involvement with past campers does not end when they return home. Tracking is continued through high school and into college. Also, our former campers have been involved in Branch programs and in community events.

Recently, Tech Trek completed a survey of campers from the second four years, to see where they are now and what effect the program had on their futures. The results are rewarding and a very large number said that Tech Trek gave them confidence to take those difficult high school courses that opened up their futures and to battle the still-existing barriers for women in science and technology.

The program cost is currently $1000 per camper; all girls attend on full scholarship. Donations specifically for scholarships are welcome and are tax exempt through the AAUW California SPF (Special Projects Fund).

TECH TREK IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE!

2014 Survey results or The complete Tech Trek Evaluation Report

Educational Foundation

Each year our branch sponsors fund-raising events on behalf of the Foundation which awards over 2 million dollars annually. This money has enabled over 6,000 women to pursue advanced graduate degrees and funds educational research and projects. Three Paradise women have received EF grants.

Legal Advocacy Fund

LAF provides funding and support systems for university women seeking judicial redress for discrimination, harassment and tenure issues.

Public Policy

AAUW uses legislative advocates and the collective voice to influence local, state and federal legislation. Articles in our newsletter, Branching Out, and online, assist members in staying informed and working on current issues.

Career Development

Members participate in several programs for girls including a day long conference on the Butte Community College Campus. Local workshops also educate girls on career development in math and science.

General Meetings

Meetings, day and evening, are open to members and the public and are held periodically, September through May. Meetings focus on international programs, current educational issues, women's health, and local issues.

Local Scholarships

Paradise Branch offers aid to local women attending Butte College through the Frances Pence Memorial Re-entry Scholarship Fund.

Community Connection

AAUW networks with community groups to support local issues and to promote voter education. We support school music concerts with financial contributions and member involvement.

Interest Groups

Interest groups, open to all members, meet monthly for continuing education, friendships and just plain fun! Groups currently available are:

• Book Groups
• Out to Lunch
• Les Flaneurs
• Wine and Whine