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Transcript

Girls in STEM 2 · Divas That Care Network

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's Divas That Care Radio.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Stories, strategies, and ideas to inspire positive change.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Divas That Care, a network of women committed to making our world a better place for everyone.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: This is a global movement for women, by women, engaged in a collaborative effort to create a better world for future generations.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: To find out more about the movement, visit DivasThatCare.com after the show.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Right now, though, stay tuned for another jolt of inspiration.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: All right, well, welcome to another edition of our Heart Driven Hustle podcast.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: I am your hostess.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: My name is Candice Smiley.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're joining me for the very first time, welcome.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: Today is a pretty special edition for me.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: But before I get into that, I just want to say a big, huge kudos and thank you to our host network, The Divas That Care.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's likely that somebody that you know has sent you a link and said, you got to go and check this out.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: And we just love to give them some serious love because they make sure that great stories and great ideas are getting out to the people who need to hear them So thank you to the Divas I Care.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: If you like what you hear today, I invite you to go like, comment, share, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, you name it.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: We are putting out good content in an effort to share great ideas and an effort to make the world a better place.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: My guest today is a little bit different than I normally interview, and I'm stoked about that, mostly because this gal is only 16 years old.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: So I am inviting you to sit back and listen to an up-and-coming game changer.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: When Candice Giss reached out and said, hey, I've got this young gal I want you to interview, I was highly curious to that reason, and then I said, I got to read her bio, so I got the ahead of time conversation and super excited to have her join me today.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm going to let her introduce herself and share a bit of her story because it's significant.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, you all know I love to hear from the first person.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: So please give a very warm welcome to my guest today, my dear.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: The call is all yours.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_02: Hi, thank you so much.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_02: My name is Ananya Sharma.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_02: I'm going to be a senior in the fall at Grimsey High School.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_02: and I'm really excited to be here.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for this opportunity.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_02: So a little bit about what I've done at Emma High School is that I've started a club called Grimsley's Girls in STEM and we're basically a small group that help other girls in high school try to get a stepping stone so they can learn exactly what STEM has to offer in their life in the future because as I was growing up, I've noticed that there's a huge gap between boys and girls in the field of STEM.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_02: And I was always intrigued that why this was the case.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_02: So after talking to my parents and a couple of my friends, we decided to start a club, an organization, and help out the other girls who were not getting to experience what they were missing out on, which was the benefits of STEM.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_02: So as a club, we tried to get all the girls entrusted and we encourage them to participate in as many activities as they can that we offer so they can actually learn what STEM has for them to offer and then if they want to continue to pursue it in the future.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: So for our listeners, because this is a little bit different than what I normally do, can you share with us what STEM is and just sort of the impact of that?
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: And then I will bring in some of the equality piece in a second.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_02: Sure.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_02: So STEM basically stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_02: And it's basically a huge platform in our lives right now.
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  SPEAKER_02: A lot of people are related to it in one way or the other.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_02: Even if you don't think you are, most people are related to it.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_02: And most of these fields are interconnected.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_02: And even if you focus on if you want to go into one field, you're usually using the best three as a background for it to help you out in any ways.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_02: That's just basically a little bit of what STEM is, but Yeah,
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: sorry.
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: No, that's wonderful.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_01: I just wanted people to sort of understand where you're coming from.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: So this is kind of exciting for me to be interviewing you because I love making sure that everyone gets an equal opportunity.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_01: And like yourself, I really loved elements when I was going to school and noticed that there was a big proportion of, you know, more boys than girls, right?
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_01: And this is exciting that, you know, you are continuing a trend to make sure that there is an equality piece in there.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_01: And you didn't sit around and wait.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_01: for someone else to do it you just up and said hey there's there's a gap here i need to fill that so you talked to your parents you talked to some friends you got some buy-in and then you went and created this how has that experience been for you um i know you're the president of this club so tell me how that experience has been for you in terms of stepping into leadership in a field that you're passionate about and excited to explore more in
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_02: yeah so uh when we started off we did have some hardships in recruiting people because like i said a lot of girls didn't know what stem was so they didn't feel as comfortable in joining but once we started talking out to our peers our friends our teachers we had to network a lot and when we finally got a good group of girls started um it was just wonderful to see so many young girls interested in this club and actually participating And we've conducted a few events, major events along the way.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: And just to see that these girls are so interested in helping out, it just made me feel really happy and proud of what we've all accomplished together.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_02: And as far as the leadership role goes, at the beginning, like I mentioned, it was a little tough trying to get everyone together.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_02: And we had some hardships, but We all stuck together and everyone helped out.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: Even the kids who aren't on the leadership team were so helpful.
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  SPEAKER_02: They always wanted to help along the way because they knew what the field had to offer for them later on in the future.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_02: It was just a matter of perspective for everyone to see what STEM actually has to offer for them.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_02: And once they did, everyone was really happy to pitch in no matter what position they held.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_02: And as a whole team, it was such a wonderful experience and I hope to keep doing this in the future as well.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm really impressed with you.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: One of the passions in my life has been public speaking, and you speak very, very well, speak very eloquently.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: So kudos to you, my dear.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think you're setting yourself up very well for a future that's going to be full, rewarding, and I think full of a lot of give back.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: Now, do you have a plan for where you're headed after high school?
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: Do you kind of know what you're going to do?
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm sure more change is incoming, but where are you headed after high school?
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_02: So as of right now, I do want to go to a well-reputed four-year college.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not sure which one just yet.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_02: And I want to major in computer science and minor in data analytics.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_02: That way I can combine the both and help solve real world problems.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_02: That's basically what I want to do as of right now.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I feel like just this club in general and everything that I've done so far has been my stepping stone to help me get to this place that I will in the future.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_02: Hopefully, like I've said throughout the whole process that I want our club to also be a stepping stone for other people like it's helped me personally.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: Well, that's a really exciting thing.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_01: And to be honest, you know, you're really setting yourself up for success.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: So kudos to you for being willing to, you know, be brave to try something to, you know, set sort of a, you know, a precedent really for yourself and for your life.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_01: And how exciting is that?
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: One of the things I loved, and I'm staring at that sentence on your bio right now, where it says, you want to solve real problems.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I love how you brought that up.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_01: How are some of the ways you, like, what are some of the problems that you might want to solve?
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: What sort of, you know, when you're lying awake at night, Wondering, you know, what you're going to do.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_01: What are some of the things you'd love to try to tackle?
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_02: So one big thing that me and my dad both are very interested in is the future of autonomous cars.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_02: It intrigues me so much to see that now in the future, we might not need a driver's license or drivers and we might just be able to feed our addresses into the car and the car can take us wherever we want.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_02: That's something.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_02: looking up and researching a lot because I do want to be a part of some kind of project that does work on that.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_02: And it just, when I first heard about it, I was so intrigued that this could be something that I can experience in my lifetime.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: And if that's true, then I want to be a part and play a huge role in getting that to be something others can experience
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_01: as well.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's awesome and exciting.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_01: I know that I certainly appreciate technology and how much of a difference it's made even in my life, right?
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm really close or was really close with my grandparents, still really close with my parents.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_01: Sounds like you have a very similar relationship and that your parents are very actively involved in your life.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: And that makes a huge difference, I think, for those of us who are fortunate enough to have those great relationships to start our lives off.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_01: It sounds like your dad has a big influence in your life.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: Talk about some other relationships, I guess, that have influenced you and how you see that supporting you as you move into your future?
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so my parents definitely have played a huge role in my life.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_02: I remember ever since middle school, I was very confused on what I really wanted to do after I grew up.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_02: I had a phase of fashion designing, interior designing, and after seeing that that might not be stuff I'm very good at, they were very supportive and they me out and they saw that I did have a keen interest for things like computers and numbers and number crunching.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_02: So they were like, maybe you should try this out.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I did.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_02: I went to an event that not a lot of people used to go to.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_02: It was a Try Tech Savvy event.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_02: And after going there, the things I saw and experienced, including robotics, coding, nanobus.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_02: I was intrigued.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_02: I told my dad, thank you so much for sending me here.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_02: And I really want to keep going to other events.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_02: And he was like, yeah, of course.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_02: So we did that.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_02: And ever since then, I was just so intrigued in this big world of computer science and data that I've been really happy that my dad had helped me introduce me to this world and my mom as well she's been so supportive of everything i do so far any failures or setbacks i have she's always there to catch me and she always encourages me to take the big leap to take steps no matter how much ever how much of a scared i am she's always there to encourage me and my sister She's my younger sister, and she always tells me that she wants to follow in my footsteps because she's so happy in seeing what I'm doing with my life so far, and she's just really inspired by what she wants to do in her life as well.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_01: Well, and that's a neat thing because, I mean, you're inspiring me right now.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_01: You're reminding me that, especially with what you just shared, that sometimes, you know, we're inspired by the people we inspire, right?
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: That we're like, oh, I want to try and do more and be more because of the people we're inspiring, right?
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_01: And the care and affection that we have with and for them.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: So this is typically the part of the interview where I say, hey, you can say whatever you want to whoever's listening.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_01: is it that you would love to leave with our listeners today
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_02: so one piece of advice i always give anyone that asks me is to never say no um that's a big thing in my life that i followed because um like i mentioned before if i had said no to that one opportunity to go to that event i would have never discovered my interest in computer science or data analytics.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_02: And ever since then, any opportunity that's come my way, I've always said, yes, let's do it.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_02: Let's see where it takes us.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_02: And I've never regretted doing anything in my life after I've listened to that advice, which has also come from my dad.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I really love that you brought up your dad a couple of times because anybody who follows along with my podcast knows I quote him all the time.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: He has so many wise things, which to be honest, sometimes when I was younger, I looked at it and went, I don't totally get it.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: And as I've gotten older, I'm like, oh, that was really smart.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: Like he gave me a book when I was 14, How to Win Friends and Influence People, which I didn't read until I was 24.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_01: But when I was reading it at 24, I remember thinking, oh, I should have read this at 14 and delight years ahead.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_01: You know, and he likes that, right?
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: He likes to know that he's right because typically he's also raised me to be headstrong and to make decisions and think for myself, which I really appreciate, which means sometimes I question even his advice, right?
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_01: But it's really neat to see, you know, both that you've been fortunate enough to have an amazing setup and supportive family.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_01: And for those who are listening who don't, those mentor types exist and you just have to reach out and go looking for them.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_01: kudos to you for being brave to I love words okay you were brave and you took courageous action to step out and look at something that maybe wasn't what you thought you might enjoy and then were brave to start a club and to lead that club leadership is Well, knowing that, that's going to set you up for success for sure.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: And then, you know, now to look ahead and say, I want to make this change in my life and I want to try that.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_01: So it's been an absolute pleasure to interview you today.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: Just to sort of, as we wrap up, what are some of your favorite books?
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what are you reading right now as a young entrepreneur and as a forward thinker and as an upcoming leader in your own right?
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_01: What are you reading right now?
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_01: What are some of the things that we're finding on your bedside table?
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: So
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_02: I have been reading, I know it's kind of, I mean, a year or two old, but I have been reading Becoming by Michelle Obama.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's a gooder.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_01: That's a gooder.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_01: I'm on there.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: I'm with you.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and it's a really good book, really inspirational.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm really glad I found that.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_02: Again, it was my dad who gave it to me.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_02: So that's, again, one other thing that I'm really happy to read.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: And it's a great book.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_01: I had an opportunity to watch her program on Netflix, which is, you know, highly inspiring.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm really grateful to hear that you are not only filling your mind with, you know, the science and the data and all that, but you're also taking the time to really grow that other skill, which is leadership and your networking ability.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: So kudos.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_01: We're going to definitely have to have you on again as our guests as you continue to grow and expand and do more exciting things.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for blessing us with your appearance today and being so candid with us.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_01: I really appreciate you.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: You're so welcome.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_01: So for the rest of our listeners, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty darn inspired to go out and be a little bit better and do a little bit more in my life because of the leadership that is up and coming and ready, ready to, to lead the way and how much more so will that road be easier if we do the same.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: So again, thank you to our, our host network divas that care.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_01: If you enjoyed this, like comment, share, um, sounds like maybe I need to do a little more of these up and coming leader interviews.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_01: Hey girl, I think that's, this needs to be a thing.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: And please join us for one of our up and coming podcasts.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_01: You can find them here, or you can check out my YouTube, which is just youtube.com forward slash Candice Smiley.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_01: So I look forward to catching you guys on the flip side.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_01: Have a wonderful day.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't miss a thing.