A group of 11 young girls from Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s Eureka! program recently returned after a five-day excursion to Washington, D.C. The trip included a visit with Rep. Salud Carbajal and Sen. Alex Padilla plus a tour of the White House.
Focal points of this year’s excursion were:
- The challenge of healthcare accessibility because of financial obstacles or inadequate insurance coverage.
2. Reversing the decision of Roe vs. Wade and safeguarding women’s reproductive rights.
3. Inequalities around the pink tax and the financial burdens associated with menstrual products.
“This trip showed me that women and people like me from a small town can truly achieve any dream or goal we may have,” said Eureka! cohort member Camila E Hernandez-Sanchez. “It was also impactful because having our voices truly heard by people in Congress will help better change/develop our future.”
The girls, who are high school seniors, toured the Museum of African American History and Culture, and the United States Holocaust Memorial. They visited Georgetown and George Washington University, where they networked with students and faculty.
A standout moment was participating in an interactive session at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, where they analyzed artifacts of their choice within the realm of natural science, presenting their findings and raising scientific inquiries.
Eureka!, a Girls Inc. of Carpinteria initiative, is an expanded learning five-year program that emphasizes college readiness. The program is dedicated to introducing girls to the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), nurturing their potential as future leaders in these domains.
For more about the Eureka! program, call 805-684-6364 or visit www.girlsinc-carp.org.