Scientifically Speaking Professionals Tell Girls About The Importance Of Math, Science To Their Careers

While Tracey Harbinson told two dozen girls about the eight grueling years it took her to become a veterinarian, Kelsey the black lab wagged from student to student.

It’s hard to say who had the girls’ attention, Harbinson or her puppy sidekick. But both made an impression.

Harbinson was one of 90 professionals who spoke to 1,200 junior high and high school students Saturday about careers in math and science.

Sponsored by several schools and businesses, Expanding Your Horizons is an annual event at Spokane Falls Community College. the conference gives girls the chance to talk to a variety of professionals working in math and science fields.

A host of working women represented a range of careers, from the two-year degree respiratory therapist to 12-years plus residency program physicians.

“I either want to be a vet or a coroner,” said Shawnee Thomas, a seventh-grader from Grand Coulee. “What I learned is, I have to keep my grades up.”

The speakers peppered speeches about their careers with advice to take as many math and science classes as possible in high school.

“When I was in high school, I didn’t really want to be there,” Harbinson said. “But there was a goal. And if you have a goal, you can put up with anything.”

Harbinson explained that even with a 3.5 grade point average, experience working for a veterinarian’s office and a host of math and science classes, it took her two years to get accepted into a college program.

Even then, she was an alternate choice, getting in after someone dropped out of the program.

“All of the other people were smarter than me,” Harbinson said.

She was devastated when she failed her first exam.

“I got over it. I got past it. And now they call me doctor,” she said.

While many of the students attending the conference fantasize about becoming doctors, engineers or architects, not all are ready to commit to the work it takes to get there.

“For one thing, math is a dull class,” said Rache Stotts-Johnson, a North Central sophomore. “I like science a lot, so I put up with math because I know I need one to do the other.”

Fourteen-year-old Kami Christian is even less enthusiastic.

“I’m good at math, but science is really hard,” she said. “I don’t know if I want to take all those classes.”

For every girl who leaves still intimidated by math and science, another is inspired, said Grace Tiscareno-Sato, an Air Force pilot and one of the conference organizers.

“We have one girl who came three years ago and she has come back every year,” she said. “Now she has her heart set on becoming a military pilot.”