Open to young women in Year 11 and 12 at schools in the Greater Wellington Region, IYM (Innovative Young Minds). This year IYM was a 6 day residential programme that exposes participants to the many research and career opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mechanics) in the most engaging and hands-on way possible. During the first week of July this year's IYM held it’s annual live-in program for young women students in years 11 and 12 who are interested in STEM subjects. The course has a number of sponsors and the young women are sponsored by their local rotary clubs. Our club sponsored Rio Salisbury-Metcalfe from Hutt Valley High School. She lives in Wainuiomata and hopes to go to Otago University to study genetics. She will come and tell us about her experience of the course this coming Monday.
Two of the sessions are a Parliamentary reception and at the closing. Two members of a sponsoring Rotary club are invited to each of these sessions. Jaye Howey and I went to the parliamentary session coordinated by Gaylene Hughes from Hutt City Rotary and hosted by our local parliamentarians, Ginny Anderson and Chris Bishop who gave positive and encouraging speeches. Jaye and I met with many of the young women and many local rotarians from clubs around the district. Robert Aitken attended the closing ceremony and was impressed with the strength and calibre of the students. This course offers great experiences and opportunities for all the young women and were all very positive about their experiences.