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PORTLAND, OR (November 14, 2020)—Today, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington (GSOSW) kicks off the first-ever STEMapalooza, a two-day virtual Science, Technology, Engineering and Math expo, November 14-15, 2020. Girls will engage with STEM experts, explore STEM careers and experience live webinar panels, science demonstrations, and self-guided activities. STEMapalooza is generously sponsored by First Tech Federal Credit Union. Throughout the two-day event, girls can explore more than 20 distinct STEM experiences, from live panels and demonstrations to self-guided STEM experiments and activities from partners including:
“We know that for girls—and especially girls of color—representation matters,” says Nicole Frisch, Senior Director, Community Engagement First Tech Federal Credit Union. “That’s why we’re excited to partner with Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington for STEMapalooza, where girls will be able to see and engage with career professionals who look like them, learn about education and career journeys, and find a path for themselves in STEM. It’s one way we can work together to diversify the STEM pipeline, and support our next generation of thinkers, doers and leaders.” Research shows that girls are keenly interested in STEM and excel at it. Yet, for a variety of reasons, girls often don’t pursue STEM—starting as early as elementary school—and women and girls are underrepresented across all levels of the STEM pipeline. Girl Scout STEM programs are designed to introduce Girl Scouts of every age to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and bridge the gender gap with progression-based, multi-year STEM experiences such as Girl Scouts’ new STEM Career Exploration badges. Through STEMapalooza, Girl Scouts in grades 2-8 will be able to complete steps toward these new badges as they connect with STEM professionals, learn about what they do, and discover their pathway to STEM careers. “At GSOSW, it is so important for us to create STEM opportunities for girls where they can see themselves represented in a field that they have been told is traditionally not for them,” says Tessa Crosby, Program Manager for Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. “We hope to inspire girls through these opportunities to step outside of their comfort zones to try something new, so they can cultivate the skills to become the STEM leaders of tomorrow.”
ABOUT STEMAPALOOZA WHO: 175 girls in grades K-12; Girl Scout volunteers and staff; STEM professionals. WHAT: First-ever STEMapalooza with Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington; Sponsored by First Tech Federal Credit Union. WHEN: Saturday, November 14, and Sunday, November 15, 2020; various times (see schedule below). WHERE: Virtual expo; events held via Zoom. REGISTRATION: STEMapalooza is a virtual expo, open to all girls grades K-12. Preregistration was required by November 12 to access STEMapalooza virtual event sessions. The $7.50 registration fee included access to all STEMapalooza virtual events including panels, live science demonstrations, and self-guided activities; a STEMapalooza activity packet and an exclusive STEMapalooza fun patch. INTERESTED MEDIA
STEMAPALOOZA SCHEDULE Saturday, November 14, 2020: Sunday, November 15, 2020: STEMapalooza is open to all girls grades K-12. Sign up by November 12, 2020 at https://www.girlscoutsosw.org/en/sf-events-repository/2020/girl-scout-stemapalooza.html. Questions? Please email [email protected]. Prospective community STEM partners can learn more at: http://www.girlscoutsosw.org/en/activities/program-partners.html.
GIRL SCOUTS’ COMMITMENT TO STEM PROGRAMMING Girl Scouts of the USA’s STEM Pledge is a multiyear initiative to put 2.5 million girls through progressive hands-on STEM programs by 2025. Donate at: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/adults/donate/STEM-pledge.html. In July 2020, Girl Scouts of the USA announced 24 new badges, including STEM Career Exploration badges for girls in grades 2-8. Through the new STEM Career Exploration badges, girls explore their career interests and connect them to STEM fields—particularly computer science, nature/environmental science, engineering, design, health and agriculture—that can help them address the pressing issues of our time and change the world. The dearth of women in STEM fields is well documented, but data shows that girls are more interested in a STEM career when they learn how they can use it to help people, demonstrating the value of Girl Scouts’ unique approach.
ABOUT GIRL SCOUTS OF OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON ### |
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