Sparks and WomenSPEAK host Whizgirls at Work presented by Verizon Foundation

The Los Angeles Sparks teamed up with WomenSPEAK this past Saturday to host Whizgirls at Work Innovation Hack-A-Thon presented by Verizon Foundation. Approximately sixty (60) middle school and high school-aged inner city female youths gathered in downtown LA for the 2nd installment of SPARK INTO S.T.E.M., a free-to-the public educational enrichment series launched by the LA Sparks this past summer.

Presented by Verizon Foundation, WhizGirls at Work event participants have the opportunity to strengthen their science, technology, engineering, and math literacy via a day-long “secret agent” innovation hack that culminates in a technology wireframe project competition. Events like WhizGirls at Work ensure that a lack a resource, exposure, prior skill, and/or proficiency are no longer barriers-to-entry for young girls seeking to advance their S.T.E.M. education.

The LA Sparks President & COO, Christine Simmons, and WhizGirls Academy & Playwerks Founder, Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia, kicked off the event at 8:30 a.m. followed by a Snapchat engineer keynote address. Sparks staff acted as secret agent mentors as they took the female youths through the day’s activities. Check back for more community initiatives and programs as we approach the 2018 season.