At 6:30 am on February 25th, 2020, all 10 of us, Emily, Kyra, Melody, Mitha, Neol, Nicole, Rachel, Sierra, Sowmya, and Sunny, huddled in our jackets in the chilly air as the sun barely peeked out of the clouds. Today was the big day. We crowded into one van and one car, ready for the long journey to the Google headquarters in Mountain View from Rocklin High School. The rear of the van was packed full of snacks and drinks, including graham crackers, animal cookies, Gatorade, and water.
After more than 2 hours on the road, we finally made it to the corporate headquarters. The weather was warm and we were ready for the upcoming adventure! The first thing we did was go on a tour of Google with our host, Drew Walton. The campus was very beautiful and we were all amazed at how spectacular it was. There were flourishing gardens outside, a swimming pool and gym, and intricate walkways. Inside the buildings, the interior designs were astonishing: popping colors, spacious conference rooms, spiraling staircases, comfortable sofas, and even a music room!
After we settled into a large conference room, women guest speakers started coming in. Their names were Prachi, Cho, Marisabel, and Chelsea. They spoke of their experiences as women in STEM and their journey that led them to work at Google. It was very fascinating to see how they all ended up working for the same company even though they came from different backgrounds. From starting as an intern fresh out of university to moving from job to job before becoming an employee to landing at Google as an immigrant, it was amazing to hear each different perspective.
When lunchtime came, our stomachs could be heard grumbling. We were brought to the cafeteria where a plethora of food was being served. Vegetarian, Indian, salad bars, taco stands… yum! If only we could eat here every day! After getting our lunches (and don’t forget drinks!), we sat at a large wood table and dug in. Even with our stomachs bulging, we still had room for ice cream at the end (woohoo!).
After lunch, we walked back to our conference room and did some hands-on learning with programming robots. Pairing up, each group received one robot and one computer. We coded the movement directions onto the computer, which we then sent to the robot by using a USB cable. On the hallway, there was a winding path (marked off by blue duct tape) which the robot had to follow without touching the edges. After several trials of testing and reprogramming the robots, every group finished the race. We then learned about circuit boards and their functions (and we were able to see and hold some examples!).
Unfortunately, every amazing journey must have its end. We were sad to leave the Google headquarters and our tour guides behind, but the day was coming to the end. As we sat stuck in traffic on the way home, each one of us was busy reflecting on this special day. We will carry on our experience at Google for the rest of our lives.
Thank you so much to our tour guides and helpers, Drew Walton, Prachi, Cho, Marisabel, and Chelsea! We truly appreciate everything you have done for us!
Written by: Sunny Liu