奥克兰 Girls Tackling the Future of STEM

澳博体育app最近赚了2美元,500 donation to the platinum-rated organization 奥克兰-based Scientific Adventures for Girls (SAfG) as an Inspiring Innovator Funder.

With its forerunner program – Afterschool STEM Education (science, 技术, 工程, and mathematics) Scientific Adventures for Girls delivers a hands-on, 27-week afterschool program for TK-6th grade girls (and girl-identifying youth) who participate once a week in STEM education classes. 女孩学会使用工具, 解决问题, 合作, and develop perseverance and determination around STEM. Built on equity and inclusion, instruction blends STEM and social-emotional learning practices.

Many Bay Area children are not introduced to STEM programs until middle or high school, and research has shown that girls as young as kindergarten have already begun to form negative views about science and other STEM-related courses, which can taint their entire K-12 educational experience.

Historically, women have been underrepresented in the mathematical sciences and other STEM fields. Recent statistics from the National Science Foundation (2021) indicate that women held approximately 14% of 工程 jobs in the U.S., 26% of computer and mathematical occupations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020), and 30% of the mathematical sciences workforce (American Mathematical Society). SAfG aims to change those statistics.

Currently serving 22 school sites in the Bay Area, 近2,000 girls have participated in its afterschool program, 80% of whom say they are interested in further STEM courses because of their participation at SAfG.

SAfG also conducts Family STEAM Nights, where children and their families work together on projects like a model rocket launch and virtual educational programs with Bay Area partners like Pixar Animation Studios, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 桑迪亚国家实验室, 斯坦福大学. 根据SAfG, research has shown that family attitudes and interest levels in STEM influence how girls think and feel about STEM. Interest in STEM topics positively influences how girls see themselves in the STEM field.

“下个学年, 为期27变型小的, year-round program will focus on three STEM themes: Math, 计算机科学, 与环境科学,” said Executive Director and SAfG Cofounder Courtenay Carr Heuer. “通过澳博体育app的课程, girls will discover new interests, meet three STEM Role Models in person (one per each curriculum theme), and learn to believe that STEM is not just for boys but also for them. SAfG nurtures their interests and helps boost their self-confidence, preparing them for better futures.”

SAfG also offers STEM Summer Camps, 图书馆项目, 和一个STEM学者俱乐部, for middle and high school students.

“We firmly believe the challenge to close the gender and minority achievement gap is an all-hands-on-deck effort which must include input from every stakeholder (families, 老师, 学校, 政策制定者, 等.) invested in this call to action,” said Heuer.

“We are grateful for 澳博体育app下载’s support of our afterschool programming for TK-6th grade girls – together, we’re changing the face of science! More than 85% of our students are girls of color who come from underserved communities in the East Bay. 澳博体育app下载 is helping give them access to hands-on STEM education they wouldn’t otherwise receive.”