Mayor Eric Garcetti and the First Lady of Los Angeles, Amy Wakeland, invited Archer STEM students to attend a special reception and panel for women leaders in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) on Monday, September 26.

The reception took place in the mayor’s residence, also known as the Getty House, located in Hancock Park.

“The official program was primarily concerning young women working in STEM in Los Angeles,” Engineering and Design Coordinator Michael Carter said.

Wakeland came to Archer for the opening of the Saban Idea Lab in 2014.

“The First Lady of Los Angeles was impressed by what our Archer girls were doing in STEM as well as Honors Research,” Carter said. “I don’t know exactly how her office became aware of us but her office invited us to bring InvenTeam and other students who are involved in STEM programs.”

The panel included women who were involved in engineering, science and computer science. They spoke about their experiences and how they, as women, have navigated the STEM field and their own individual professions.

“It was so amazing to have the opportunity to be able to go to the Mayor’s house and meet all of these amazing women who do all of these great things with STEM in their profession,” Alexandra Feldman ’18, one of the Archer InvenTeam members, said. “It was really cool.”