February 22, 2017 – Opportunities to meet women with careers in science, technology, math and engineering (STEM) fields and the chance to explore those fields through hands-on workshops are on the agenda for the third annual half-day STEM Into Knowledge seminar event for 5th through 8th grade girls. The event will be held on Saturday, March 4th, 8am to 12:30pm, at Nevada Union (NU) High School Cafeteria, 11761 Ridge Road, Grass Valley.
STEM Into Knowledge is sponsored by NU’s We=mc² club (Women Exploring Math-based Career Choices) with the support of the Association of University Women (AAUW) Nevada County Branch American. Created in 2015 as a senior project STEM Into Knowledge has continued because of its popularity and success in inspiring middle-school girls to pursue their interests in STEM fields.
At STEM Into Knowledge 5th-8th grade girls will be able to attend all three STEM-related workshops – all featuring hands-on experiences. And in small groups, they also will have the chance to meet and hear from STEM career women in fields such as physical therapy, civil engineering, and geographical information systems, and will be encouraged to ask questions.
As Carolyn Schwendeman, NU senior and We= mc2 co-president explains, “Looking back on my experiences in middle school, I see now that so much of the confidence I gained over the years has come from my experiences doing hands on STEM projects. Seeing the girls reactions to the camp last year reinforced how important it is to provide these opportunities to girls at this age.”
“STEM Into Knowledge is a way for any girl to explore the STEM fields in a supportive environment. Additionally, it has become a way for the high school girls in We=mc2 to connect with the younger girls and realize how important it is to support one another in these fields,” she notes.
“The idea is to provide young girls in our community a chance to see the possibilities that exist in these fields, while creating a positive experience in a fun and supportive environment,” adds Rose McGill, NU senior and We=mc2 co-president. “We hope this will encourage them to challenge themselves and consider pursuing academics and careers in the STEM fields. The need for women in those fields has been shown in study after study.”
Started as a senior project, STEM Into Knowledge is being offered for the second year as a We=mc2 club project. The event is open to all 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade girls. Cost for the event, which includes a STEM Into Knowledge t-shirt, is $10, but scholarships are available, and no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Registration is on a first come-first in basis, and space is limited. For more information and to register, go to bit.ly/stemintoknowledge or email wemc2.nu@gmail.com.