THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 22, 1996 TAG: 9603210147
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Nikki Sharpe has wanted to be a doctor ``since I was little.'' The Bayside Middle School seventh-grader is preparing for a career in medicine by studying hard and making good grades, especially in science.
Nikki took another step toward her dream by attending ``Girls Can'' Day at Virginia Wesleyan College recently.
She was one of about 200 Virginia Beach middle school girls to attend the presentation sponsored by the American Association of University Women. From 8:30 a.m. until noon, the girls heard women in such traditionally male-dominated endeavors as engineering and architecture talk about how they secured careers in those areas.
Fran Adams, president of the local AAUW chapter and a teacher at Johnson & Wales University, said six of the city's 12 middle schools participated in this event; the rest will attend the next.
Nikki attended sessions in nutrition, radiology and education. Her mother, Jeryl Sharpe, a teacher at Ghent Elementary School, accompanied her daughter and sat in on a session for parents.
Margaret Little spoke to the parents about financial planning for their children's college education. A broker with Dean Witter Reynolds, Little used her knowledge in the investment field and her own experiences as a college student who worked to pay for her education, to address a big concern: money.
``Part of my job is helping families find ways to pay for college,'' said Little. There are several ways to go about that daunting task, but starting early and putting something aside regularly will usually abate economic concerns.
Several students sat in on Ann Van Orden's presentation on becoming an engineer. Van Orden told them that they should not become intimidated by subjects such as math and physics. If they study hard enough, they can pass those courses and become professional engineers, she told them.
To buttress her point, Van Orden introduced Vanessa Hill, a Virginia Tech engineering student, who talked to the girls about overcoming their fears of math and science and achieving success.
WAVY-TV newsperson Lisa Joyner addressed the group and talked to them about the value of confidence. She used an anecdote from her early journalism experience. One of her first jobs was working as a sports reporter in Los Angeles.
``I walked into that newsroom and there were all men,'' she said. ``I didn't know much about sports, didn't know what a rebound was, for example. So I started reading Sports Illustrated and other sports publications. After a while, I was able to talk to the guys and was accepted.''
Some of the men even began seeking her opinions about sports, Joyner added.
She told the middle school girls that no one but themselves could stop them from achieving. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by GARY EDWARDS
Vanessa Hill, a Virginia Tech engineering student, talks to girls
attending the ``Girls Can'' Day at Virginia Wesleyan College about
overcoming their fears of math and science and achieving success.
Among the participants in Girls Can Day were Avery and Lydia
Johnson, front, and Nikki Sharpe and her mother Jeryl Sharpe, a
teacher.
by CNB