On Friday, August 1, 2025, 45 female students from the Bakersfield City School District visited Play Piper’s headquarters in San Francisco, California. The event kicked off at noon and was led by Piper’s Operations Manager, Kim Nolan.

After a warm welcome and brief orientation, Kim guided the students on a behind-the-scenes tour of Piper’s warehouse, where they met the team responsible for packing and fulfilling Piper products. Along the way, the students received demonstrations of the company’s laser cutter, testing process, 3D printer, and flashing station, offering a real-world look at the inner workings of a tech product company.

Kim shared why events like this are so meaningful:

“They’re coming to experience technology from all angles. This isn’t just about coding and building. They get a behind-the-scenes look at how Piper products come together through R&D, marketing, sales, manufacturing, and community engagement. Even if coding isn’t their passion, they might discover a strength in connecting with people, in helping others see how technology in general can make a difference. There’s a place for all kinds of talents in this space, and we hope the girls leave inspired by the possibilities.”

Following the tour, the students spent the next hour building Piper Make widgets and assembling computer kits. Each participant took home everything they created, along with a Piper Make Starter Kit to continue their STEM journey. 

The event concluded with an exciting Make-A-Thon. Students broke into small teams to brainstorm, design, and prototype original inventions using Piper Make components. From interactive games to helpful gadgets, each group brought their ideas to life and presented their creations to their peers and the Piper team, showcasing their imagination, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

Also in attendance, Piper’s Sales Manager Scott Fields shared: “We were thrilled to welcome these young ladies from Bakersfield CSD to Piper’s San Francisco HQ. It’s an honor to host these future STEMinists, and it means so much that such a great district partner includes us in their Silicon Valley itinerary. We hope the day’s events inspired these students to pursue STEM careers—who knows, maybe the next great American innovator is in this group!”

Play Piper was excited to host such a bright and curious group of future innovators. We’re grateful to the Bakersfield City School District for partnering with us to make this experience possible and to the students for bringing such energy, creativity, and enthusiasm to the day. Events like this are at the heart of our mission—to inspire the next generation of innovators by showing them what’s possible.

Want to bring your students to Piper HQ or host a STEM Make-A-Thon in your community?

Contact us, Piper Support at hi@playpiper.com, to learn more.