Tech Trek 2026 participants, standing from left, Loren Brownell, Makenna Arrington, Riley Danna, Ashley Whatley, Avery Robison, Jasreet Kooner and Amy Ramos, with Grace Rasmussen and Brittney Sierra in front. Photo courtesy of AAUW Marysville-Yuba City Branch

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) - Nine local students who attended the AAUW Tech Trek STEM camp at UC Davis this summer shared their experiences with the American Association of University Women Marysville-Yuba City Branch during a Sept. 19 gathering.

The students were among 10 girls selected by the local AAUW branch to participate in the weeklong program in July. Several students also participated in a virtual Tech Trek program. :

Tech Trek introduces students entering eighth grade to science, technology, engineering and math fields. The program includes college-level workshops taught by professionals and gives participants an opportunity to experience STEM education in a university setting.

Students attending the Sept. 19 gathering discussed what they learned during the program and their experiences at camp. The meeting also drew 15 family members and four members of the Tech Trek Alumni Group. Nine of the 10 students who attended the UC Davis camp participated in the gathering.

The students attending were Loren Brownell, Makenna Arrington, Riley Danna, Ashley Whatley, Avery Robison, Jasreet Kooner, Amy Ramos, Grace Rasmussen and Brittney Sierra.

Natalie Parker, the 10th student selected for the 2026 program, could not attend. Parker submitted a written report that Julie Goldwyn read during the gathering.

The students also heard from Tech Trek alumni Turan Welcome, who attended the program in 2023; Jaiya Ohri, who attended in 2025; Ravneet Pabla, who attended in 2023; and Chloe Nguyen, who attended in 2018.

The four alumni discussed their experiences with Tech Trek and their continued involvement with the Tech Trek Alumni Group.

The Marysville-Yuba City Branch selects local seventh-grade students for Tech Trek each year. Similar AAUW branches throughout California send students to weeklong camps hosted at universities across the state. The local branch's 2026 participants attended the program at UC Davis.