By Angela Lee
Podcast Editor
Engaging Girls in STEM
Girls from Cloverly, Emperor, Longden, Oak Avenue and TCHS joined several other LA County schools at the 2026 Engaging Girls in STEM half-day career fair on March 28. Students met with professionals in the STEM field and spent the rest of their afternoon at the LA Zoo.
“Just getting the opportunity to talk to people in these fields it’s very inspiring,” sophomore Jesse Li said. “I think I’m going to use this as an opportunity to explore what other people are doing and what they think of their life [and] their job.”
The event is celebrating its 10th anniversary since its establishment by the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s STEM science unit and other organizations across LA County. This year marks TCUSD’s second time returning to the program since 2018. Its purpose is to inspire girls who show interest in STEM by providing them with a forum where they can connect with women professionals from many different disciplines.
The program is invite-only, with LACOE giving TCUSD 75 spots in total.
The event covers roundtable discussions, small-scale lab-style activities and hands-on activities, giving girls a firsthand experience to see what it’s like working in STEM fields. With the event having more than 25 female STEM ambassadors, each student had the opportunity to speak with four, allowing for more career-focused discussions.
Marlisse Reina Memorial Grant
Senior female students applied to the Marlisse Reina Memorial Grant for Science Exploration by March 13, established in tribute to former Oak Avenue Intermediate science teacher Marlisse Reina. Students applying were required to have experience in STEM programs.
Marlisse Reina began teaching at Oak Avenue Intermediate School in 2013. Despite being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2019, Reina continued expanding student participation in science programs within the school district and sharing her passion for STEM with the community. She passed away in the spring of 2024.
“The Marlisse Reina Memorial Scholarship is such a perfect way for our dear friend and colleague to be honored in the years to come,” Oak Avenue Intermediate science teacher Nikki Shifter said. “Ms. Reina had a special way of connecting with her students, and she was able to help them see themselves as scientists, scholars and people who would love their own lives and be proud of their accomplishments.”
The application requires students to include their personal information, STEM-related courses they took during seventh to 12th grade, extracurricular activities or achievements, a letter of recommendation, responses to short answer questions and an optional essay about a scientific concept or phenomenon that they find interesting.