By Aarti Sridhar
SWIndia 2024 is a teaching and volunteering experience developed by the Society of Women Engineering (SWE). The ultimate goal of this “summer camp” is to engage and educate students from Bharat Children’s Academy (BCA) on different varieties of Engineering through fun activities. We conducted activities such as building a trebuchet, using LEGO Mindstorms, and measuring Blood Pressure.
Through this opportunity, I’ve definitely had opportunities to apply all of the leadership habits the BLI has outlined. In addition, I learned a lot about the different ways leadership can look like in a different community. This led to the adaptation and expansion in my understanding of communication and leadership.
The BLI supported this project with funding for the Blood Pressure Measuring activity, in which students learned about the two different types of pressure commonly measured, took their own blood pressure, did an exercise circuit, and explained the difference in blood pressure after the exercise.
The staff and principal at BCA were absolutely wonderful in teaching us about various aspects of Indian and Maharastran culture, and as we taught Engineering in the morning. We learned about dance, sports, food, and clothing in our afternoons.
I am extremely grateful that I was able to be a part of this experience; and, I want to thank the Academy, the SWIndia 2024 cohort, and the Barger Leadership Institute for making this chance to expand my leadership skills in a global context a reality.