Olivia Behrends, eighth grader at Wauneta-Palisade, will be traveling to Omaha next week with sponsor Jennifer Loker to take part in the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s CodeCrush Fall Immersion Experience Nov. 15-17.
    CodeCrush, part of the UNO’s College of Information Science and Technology’s Women in IT Initiative, is bringing Invigorating Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (iSTEM) to girls around the Midwest in an effort to create diversity in the information technology (IT)workforce.
    Olivia was one of 32 eighth and ninth graders accepted out of 134 entries. Last year Matilda Malcolm and her sponsoring teacher, Terra Higgins attended the event. Loker hopes for two applications to be sent for the Spring Immersion Experience. A Summer Summit is also offered.
    Olivia’s application included an essay in which she addressed her love of learning, science, and technology, and stressing her enthusiasm for experiencing new things.
    “Well, in the world we live in, jobs are becoming scarcer, a consequence of over-population, and a woman with dreams, determination, and experience with IT would be unstoppable. I want to bring back my new knowledge and share it with the younger girls around me, so they too may become inspired to go to Code Crush,” Olivia said. Loker said Olivia concluded her essay by stating how Code Crush would be a stepping stone to achieving her future career goal.
    Olivia’s mom, Sara Behrends, said, Olivia would like to  pursue a science field, possibly a nurse practitioner.
    “She’s looking forward to the total experience of being in Omaha at UNO, and meeting other girls who are interested in the same things,” S. Behrends said.
 

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