Now offering a Junior Mentor enrollment option for high school students!
Film Fest
_Girls in STEM______
Girls in STEM Film Festival
September 18-20, 2026
Lights, Camera, Action! Join the exciting collaboration between Keystone Science School and Breckenridge Film Festival for Girls in STEM: Film Fest, an empowering weekend tailored for theatrical 4th-8th grade female and non-binary students! Now offering a Junior Mentor enrollment option for high school students!
From captivating storytelling to the magic of cinematography and film editing, participants will hone their skills in every aspect of the filmmaking process. They will hear from inspirational women in all aspects of the film industry, sharing their triumphs and challenges in breaking barriers in a male-dominated field. Empower your child to script their own success story in STEM while unleashing their inner Greta Gerwig at the Girls in STEM: Film Festival!
The students will create their own short film, and at the close of the program, girls will present their short films during a scheduled event included within the Breckenridge Film Festival schedule. All families will receive free entry to the final presentation.
Rates & Amenities
This program is subsidized on a sliding fee scale for local families – see the chart below. This price includes lodging in our dorms, all meals, programming and use of supplies and technology.
| Free & Reduced Lunch rate | $55 |
| Full Pay rate | $225 |
| High School Junior Mentor | $100 |
Scholarships & Financial Assistance
If you have a financial barrier, please apply for a scholarship for the Girls in STEM program. All scholarships will be determined on a rolling basis and offered based on financial need.
High School Junior Mentors
This year we are offering a “Junior Mentor” enrollment option for high school students – a leadership opportunity designed for female and non-binary students who are interested in film, storytelling, and mentoring younger kids.
Junior Mentors will support a group of students through the process of creating and developing their short film. Students best suited for this role may have been to another Girls in STEM program or have experience in film and theater. If this sounds like you, head to the application to learn more and submit by September 1st!
Transportation
If your students goes to Silverthorne or Dillon Valley Elementary and needs transportation to the program, please email support@keystonescienceschool.org.
Packing List
Program Schedule
Please note that this program schedule may change based on the availability of our STEM Mentors.
KSS will be providing meals from dinner on Friday night to lunch on Sunday afternoon.
Friday
Sept. 18
| 4:00pm | Check-in begins |
| 4:00pm | Local Pick-ups |
| 5:00pm | Check-in ends |
| 5:30pm | Female Empowerment Conversation |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Film 101 |
| 8:30pm | Head back to dorms |
| 9:30pm | Lights Out |
Saturday
Sept. 19
| 8:00am | Breakfast |
| 9:15am | Filming at KSS |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 12:30pm | Editing 101 |
| 2:00pm | Mentor Q&A Session |
| 3:00pm | Editing |
| 6:00pm | Dinner |
| 7:00pm | Mini Film Fest |
| 8:30pm | Head back to dorms |
| 9:30pm | Lights Out |
Sunday
Sept. 20
| 8:00am | Breakfast |
| 9:15am | Movie Poster Project Work Time |
| 11:00am | Female Empowerment Activity |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 12:30pm | Red Carpet at River Walk Center |
| 1:00pm | Film Screening |
| 2:00pm | Departure/Pick Up at Breck Film Fest |
| 2:30pm | Local drop-offs |
STEM Mentors
A variety of female professionals will be interacting with all participating girls throughout the weekend. Read more below about this year’s mentors!
Maggie Hartmans
Writer/Director/Producer
Maggie Hart is an award-winning writer/director/producer whose romcom Worth the Wait (starring Lana Condor) is streaming now. An indie girl at heart, she got her start making her first feature on a shoestring budget while working full-time as a production manager. She loves telling stories that build empathy and hope through her production company, Farsighted Creative.
Megan Sweeney
Filmmaker
Megan Sweeney is an award winning filmmaker based out of Boulder, Colorado who focuses on documentary video & photography. She recently finished a short documentary about a local organic farmer, Talking to the Sun. She absolutely loves what she does, spending time with her family and in nature.
Emily Best
Producer / CEO of Seed&Spark
Emily Best is the founder and CEO of Seed&Spark, the #1 crowdfunding platform in the world for storytellers on a mission to make entertainment more diverse, inclusive, connected and essential. Seed&Spark’s platform and national education program have helped thousands of bold storytellers raise over $86M and counting. She has produced films, VR, shorts and series that have premiered at Sundance, SXSW, Slamdance, Tribeca and more. She produced RATIFIED, a feature documentary about the 100+ year struggle for the Equal Rights Amendment, which premiered on Independent Lens October 2025 and her new film MR JESUS is screening at Breck Film. (Both were crowdfunded.)
Julia Schklair
Costume Designer
Julia Schklair became involved in the arts at an early age in her hometown of Chicago. She discovered her love for costumes while attending UCLA. There she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre, Film and Television with a minor in Art and Art History. She has worked in film and television for nearly 30 years. Her extensive list of projects include, “CSI Miami,” “The Mentalist,” “Kingdom,” “Lucifer,” and the first 6 seasons of the ABC show “The Rookie.” She has designed costumes for actors such as Bill Paxton, Eric McCormick, Tiffani Thiessen, Rachel Leigh Cook, Frank Grillo, Chevy Chase and Lynn Redgrave. She has also designed period films that have covered eras from the revolutionary war, the 1800s, and up to the present era. She is currently producing films with her husband Christopher Schultz.
Caroline Friend
Writer / Director
Caroline Friend is an LA based writer and director who grew up in Colorado Springs, studied Film at USC, and went on to work at CAA and Netflix while making her own short films. Outside of work, she loves discovering new coffee shops and hiking with her dog, Oscar.
Traven Rice
Filmmaker
Traven Rice is a filmmaker who tells deeply personal stories about transformation and family dynamics.
LAY LEFTY DOWN, her comedic short film about a surprise memorial for a left breast, was created with the intention to help people talk about hard things. Rice recently completed the digital pilot for DIVISION STREET, a series about a mixed-race young girl sent to live with her cranky Jewish grandmother in a magical neighborhood in New York City.
The pilot screened in numerous festivals including SLAMDANCE, RAINDANCE, ITVFest and SeriesFest and garnered awards across the country, and internationally.
Her first short film, THE NIGHT TRAM, was nominated for a Student Academy Award. Traven’s previous shorts have screened in top festivals including Palm Springs International Shorts Fest, and HollyShorts.
Shawna Schultz
Co-Founder & CEO of Mass FX Media
Shawna Schultz is the co-founder and CEO of Mass FX Media, Colorado’s award-winning creative studio specializing in visual effects, motion design, and immersive storytelling. A Colorado native and film industry leader, she is passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls to see themselves as creators, innovators, and leaders for creative industries.
Thank you to our Program Partners!
Special thanks to Breckenridge Film Festival and HP for being partners for this program!
If you are interested in supporting this program please contact our Development team at development@keystonescienceschool.org or call 970-468-2098.
In the words of parents
“No phones. Dedicated time to focus on self. Reminders about gratitude. Getting in touch with nature. The counselors are strong, sweet, great role models.”
“My kid looks forward to this every year! It is so important for her to get out of her usual routine and meet new people and get a chance to be on her own.”
“We love KSS. The growth our kids have each summer is priceless. Thank you for all the hard work, planning and everything that goes into what you do!”
Check out more All-Girls programs at KSS!
Adventures is the next step in progression at KSS, and we have girls-only trips coming up next summer!
We also have more Girls in STEM programs coming up, including Water Wonders this October!
All-Girls Climbing
Grades 6th-8th
Girls in STEM Snow Science
Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, 2026