Big Dream

The young women profiled in filmmaker Kelly Cox's Big Dream are all pursuing goals tied to STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Cassidy, a senior at Iowa State University, enjoys designing gadgets, such as an app that generates insults in Old English, which she uses to tease her sister. By organizing hackathons, Cassidy encourages other girls to learn how to code. Martha, who lives in Nairobi, is aware that many girls in her region can't afford to attend school. She runs computer workshops where she teaches the basics. Since she is self-taught, she believes that they can achieve the same. “Unfortunately,” she says, “tech in Kenya is an elitist thing.” Martha hopes to win the Nobel Prize before she turns 30. Kassandra, who attends an all-girls school in Phoenix, has a diverse array of interests, including tae kwon do, welding, and running stage lights. She wants to become a four-star Navy admiral. Marwa and Asya, engineering students in Oman, plan to go into computing. Asya's father, appearing here with a parrot on his shoulder, believes that she could become the next Bill Gates. Bella, who lives in San Francisco, likes to design apps for mobile devices. Despite a period of homelessness, she's optimistic about her future, and credits the Big Sisters program for keeping her spirits up and the crowd-sourcing platform Indiegogo for helping her raise funds for college. Finally, Mariana is pursuing an engineering degree in Costa Rica, with dreams of someday working at NASA. Each girl is faced with her own set of challenges, but all share a positive and realistic attitude. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (K. Fennessy)