STEAM Conference Sparks Big Dreams and Future Careers For Imperial Valley Girls
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The force was with high school girls from across the Imperial Valley and surrounding region who attended a full-day STEAM conference on Jan. 24 at Central Union High School, designed to inspire students to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.
The event, titled “STEAM WARS & BEYOND: Dream It, Be It – Career Support for Girls,” was presented by Soroptimist International of El Centro and ran from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Participants engaged in workshops, professional panel discussions, interactive learning activities, and career exploration sessions. National and regional STEAM leaders, including representatives from NASA, joined educators, industry professionals, and community partners to lead sessions and share insights with students.
Organizers said the conference reflects ongoing efforts in the Imperial Valley to cultivate the next generation of leaders. While the main focus was inspiring local students, a limited number of participants from surrounding areas also attended to foster collaboration and shared learning.
Maria Carrillo-Martinez, co-chair of STEAM WARS, said the conference has grown significantly since its first year and has gained international recognition through Soroptimist. “We have grown from last year. Our event is getting bigger,” Carrillo-Martinez said. She added that the program has been designated a Soroptimist-affiliated United Nations project, meaning data from the initiative will be shared globally. Carrillo-Martinez noted that the president of Soroptimist of the Americas attended this year’s conference to observe the program and that Ivonne Sotomayor, president of the El Centro Soroptimist Club, is scheduled to present the project at a United Nations conference in March. “It is a bigger project. It’s now an international project,” she said, emphasizing that organizers are collaborating with the Mexican Consulate and expanding participation from both sides of the border.
Ivonne Sotomayor added that this year’s conference reflects expanded planning, partnerships, and regional growth. She said organizers began planning in May, focusing on grant funding and collaboration to strengthen the program. “We had a better idea of what we wanted to accomplish, and so we reached out and worked with various partners,” Sotomayor said. Partnerships included the Mexican Consulate, museums, Garage Project Hub in Mexicali, Skyworks, San Diego State University, and other STEM organizations. She said the expanded effort allowed the conference to register 151 students, surpassing its goal of 150, with participants traveling from Imperial County, San Diego County, Riverside County, Yuma, and Mexicali.
Sotomayor said the program has grown beyond STEM to include business, finance, law, and agriculture, and recently received recognition from the Soroptimist International Foundation.
“This project is not just a local project anymore,” she said. “We have just been accepted by the Soroptimist International Foundation, so this project will be officially under them.” She added that data from the program will be shared internationally, including with organizations connected to the United Nations. Sotomayor also highlighted early success stories, noting that four students from last year’s conference applied for and received the group’s educational award and are now continuing their studies while assisting with this year’s event. She said the award provides long-term support without affecting financial aid. Sotomayor noted that organizers were also proud to welcome their first neurodivergent participant this year, a student with Down syndrome, reflecting the initiative’s commitment to expand access and reinforce that “STEM is for all.”
Fernanda Elizarraraz Morales, 22, of Mexicali, Baja California, participated as a panelist to share her experience as a recent graduate of the Autonomous University of Baja California. “I’m here to talk about my experience in the university, the academic side, the economic challenges, and what it was like working with professors,” Elizarraraz Morales said. She added that she was invited through a family connection and hopes her story helps students who are unsure about their career path. “It’s completely normal to doubt what you want to study,” she said. “My advice is to get informed and make sure it’s something you truly like.”
Sue Riney, president of Soroptimist International of the Americas, Inc., said the STEAM-focused conference elevated one of the organization’s signature programs to a broader level. “Dream It, Be It is one of our signature projects, and we encourage all of our clubs to participate, but this takes it to such a wonderful level,” Riney said. She attended to observe the program’s impact, gather data, and help share the model across the federation and globally. Riney, who also serves on the board of Soroptimist International, said the event received support through the Soroptimist International Foundation. “This program helps girls understand they can overcome obstacles and live their dreams if they have the resources, guidance, and mentors to support them,” she said.
Bonnie Mendenhall, governor of the Soroptimist Desert Coast Region, said the conference represented one of the largest gatherings she has seen focused on girls’ participation. “This is probably the biggest girls’ attendance and participation event,” Mendenhall said. She attended in her role as governor to observe the program firsthand and to share its model with other clubs. “My job is to help clubs be their best, and I wanted to see this for myself so I can go to other clubs and talk to them about how they can make even more impact with their Dream It, Be It program,” she said. Mendenhall added that she invited the governor of Soroptimist’s Mexico Central Region to strengthen international ties, noting the cross-border participation connected to the event.
