Hi All,

We had a fabulous field trip yesterday to Microsoft. We went to the Microsoft Home of the Future, which was amazing. Then we went to have lunch with wonderful Microsoft women. Thank you !!

I want to thank Mylene Padolina and Janice Hunter for making these events possible and wonderful.

I want to thank our wonderful tour leader and super kind and welcoming women who staff the Microsoft Executive Briefing Center and Microsoft Home. Thank you to Leah Devine and Julie Brown, and thank you endlessly to our wonderful tour leader Flora Goldthwaite for caring so much about us and making our tours so much fun and special.

Thank you to Mylene Padolina, Betsy Norton-Middaugh, Flora Goldthwaite, and all the wonderful women who joined us for our lunch discussion to inspire the young women in so many ways. You all were so wonderful to the girls and truly made this event special for us all.

Thank you to the really special and wonderful teachers who joined us yesterday and make IGNITE come alive at their schools. Your unwavering support and encouragement continues to make IGNITE strong. Thank you to Barbara Cummins (Information Technology Academy Lead Teacher - Ingraham HS), Lilna Given-Williams (Info Academy Teacher - Ballard HS), Jacky Graupner (School Counselor - Ingraham HS), and Janel Sternoff (Technology Teacher - Ingraham HS). Thank you so much for all your support!!

Here are the comments from the girls evaluation forms, they always say it best!!

• I liked the speakers and how they shared their experiences that really helped me in considering what careers I would want to pursue.
• I think you guys did a great job in teaching us about technology.
• I really enjoyed the women employees who took time to come in to tell us about their lives and how they ended up at Microsoft. It definitely informed me about how there are not as much women as men majoring in this field.
• I loved seeing the Home of the Future and how technology can be used in so many different ways. I was just so amazed by the different areas you can work in.
• I liked the tour at the Home of the Future. I also liked how the speakers talked about how they got here and what they did.
• It was really interesting to learn how the speakers had more than one career and how they never thought of working here.
• I learned a lot from the ladies that were talking at the end. I heard about a lack of females in technical careers.
• I would go to every IGNITE event. I want more field trips like this.
• I loved being able to see what they do with the House of the Future, and listening to the women speak about how they got there.
• I loved checking out the Smart House and how it can talk to you.
• Everything was great and this experience helped me a lot.
• I thought the Future room was so interesting and how technology can be very important.
• I liked the Future House, it was really interesting.
• I really enjoyed the tour. I learned a lot about future technology. I would like to see more.
• I learned about other careers in the technology field. Also that there are endless different kinds of jobs that has to do with technology. I thought it was interesting that most women did not start off earning a technical degree.
• My favorite thing was talking in a close environment. I learned how much technology is worth. I want to do more activities like this.
• I really enjoyed looking at the House of the Future. I was still amazed that technology can be used in many ways. It was really interesting getting to know some of the female workers in Microsoft. Their stories were helpful and their advice was helpful.
• I liked how we got to hear from people who have been through a lot in their lives and how they got here today. I liked what issues were brought up today and I would really like to be a part of an environment like this.
• I liked how the different women were talking about their careers, and trying to help us see the different careers that are possible.
• I really liked the tour of the Home. I never knew technology like that was possible. I loved hearing the women's stories.
• I liked everything I heard that the ladies talk about today.
• What I liked about today's event was that the Future Home was really important to know about. I want to be an IGNITE girl.
• I was very interested that Microsoft has Chinese and Vietnamese people.
• I liked the Future House. It was very interesting to hear the experiences of the women.
• I liked the Home House or something, I forgot what it is called. It was cool and interesting to look at. I look forward to seeing that happening in the future.
• I learned about the different paths of careers that can lead to another.
• I liked the House of the Future. I liked the speakers.
• I liked hearing how each women got to where they are today. I wish we had more time.

Thank you all for making this possible.

Sincerely,
Cathi
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