CCTA hosts 'Girls Lead the Way' STEM event

WALNUT CREEK, CA — The Contra Costa Transportation Authority hosted its “Girls Lead the Way” Science Technology Engineering and Math event Thursday, Nov. 2, at Chevron’s headquarters in San Ramon mentoring 150 girls, a news release issued by CCTA said.

The news release, which was posted on X, the social media site, formerly known as Twitter, reported that CCTA teamed up with Chevron and Bay Area LEEDS for the event where 30 women currently in STEM careers mentored the girls.

"The Girls Lead the Way event, which was launched in 2018, is one of CCTA’s initiatives to encourage youth to pursue STEM disciplines," the news release said. "CCTA also sponsors the Cal Poly Pomona Femineer Program which started at Ygnacio Valley High School and now reaches more than 100 girls each year at three schools in the East Bay. "

CCTA also invites 18 schools and over 80 students and 20 teachers to attend its annual Redefining Mobility Conference, held each spring, which provides youth and their instructors the opportunity to access leading-edge information about the future of advanced transportation, the news release said.

“Transportation technology is rapidly changing, and our field will need a workforce to meet those advances,” CCTA Commissioner Chris Kelley said. “CCTA supports STEM education to help cultivate future transportation professionals and we are grateful to partner with Bay Area LEEDS and Chevron in our effort to make our industry more inclusive and diverse.”

Kelley also serves as a Councilperson for the City of Hercules.

"At today’s event, women volunteers mentored the girls as they learned about electricity and made electrical circuits using copper tape," the news release said. "By engaging with real-world applications, the girls acquire the technical knowledge and practical skills necessary to become confident and strong in their future STEM careers."