Meet Lailaa Ortiz (she/her) (right) and Caylee Rincon (she/her) (left), both eighth-graders at Hollenbeck Middle School. Together, they are tackling real-world problems and building innovative solutions through the Girls Engineering Club.

Currently in her first year in the club, Lailaa learned about it from her teacher and club facilitator, Ms. Nicole Klanfer. She was interested in building and designing. Caylee, now in her second year, joined to make friends after transferring to Hollenbeck in seventh grade and to gain hands-on engineering experience in something new.

This past month, the Girls Engineering Club presented a community fire safety project to the Los Angeles County Wildfire Commission at the La Kretz Innovation Campus. Students designed neighborhoods using elements like fire-resistant concrete, sprinklers, and native plants arranged to slow the spread of fire, connecting STEM learning to real community impact. They also worked with their hands, using tools like precision knives and hot glue, and explored strategies such as ember-blocking mesh to make homes safer from fire.

Lailaa explained that she didn’t realize spacing plants five feet apart could help prevent fire from spreading. Caylee added that the most exciting part was building a generator, something she never would have thought herself capable of.

Presenting their project to the fire commission was both exciting and nerve-wracking. At first, they felt a little intimidated by the older audience and the pressure of answering questions from leaders. What helped them get through it was knowing they had each other’s support. The experience also taught them how to communicate their ideas clearly and handle challenges as a team.

Lailaa highlighted that the club fosters a supportive environment where members help one another when needed. This culture, cultivated by Ms. Klanfer, has been embraced by all student members.

Beyond technical skills, the club strengthened their confidence in problem-solving and math. Caylee shared that struggling with measurements or building project items taught her not to give up, helping her understand fractions better and reinforcing the value of persistence. Lailaa agreed, adding that even challenging projects became manageable and enjoyable when they worked together and learned from mistakes.

While Lailaa and Caylee are still exploring fields outside engineering and STEM, they emphasized that being part of the club has been valuable in building skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and persistence that will support them on whatever paths they choose.

When asked why other students should join the club, Caylee described it as a fun environment where students can spend time with friends while learning new things. Lailaa added it’s an opportunity for anyone interested in building or improving their community while forming meaningful connections along the way.