Girls in STEM at SWHS

Goal
Toeducategirlsaboutcareeropportunitiesinscience,technology,engineering,andmathematics(STEM),
connectthemwithsuccessfulwomeninSTEMcareers,andinspirethemtotakeadvancedcoursesinthese
areas.

Motivation
DatashowsthatgirlsatSouthWindsorHighSchoolareperformingwellonscienceandmathassessments,
butmanyarenotenrollinginupperlevelscienceandmathcoursesortechnologyandengineeringelectives.

Educational Issue
TheUSDepartmentofCommercereleasedareportin2011entitledSTEM:GoodJobsNowandForthe
Future.Somekeyfindingsare:
STEMoccupationsareprojectedtogrowby17.0percentfrom2008to2018,comparedto9.8percent
growthfornonSTEMoccupations.
STEMworkerscommandhigherwages,earning26percentmorethantheirnonSTEMcounterparts.
STEMdegreeholdersenjoyhigherearnings,regardlessofwhethertheyworkinSTEMornonSTEM
occupations.
Byconnectinggirlswithsuccessfulwomenworkinginthesefields,Ihopetodispelcommonmisconceptions
abouttheseindustriesandoccupations,educatethemabouttheopportunitiesavailabletothem,andinspire
themtoexploretheseareasmorebytakingcoursesalreadyofferedatSouthWindsorHighSchool.

Activities
Themoneyfromthisgrantwillbeusedfortwomainpurposes:
1. SubsidizetransportationandattendancecostsforstudentsatSTEMconferencesintheNewEngland
area
2. HostaWomeninSTEMDayatSWHS
Thoughitrequiresnoadditionalfunding,agirlsinSTEMclubwillbeformedatSWHStoraiseawarenessof
events,provideleadershipopportunitiesforstudents,andassistwiththeplanningandexecutionofevents.

STEM Conferences
TherearemanyprogramsandconferencesintheNewEnglandareatargetedatgirlsandSTEMfields.
DecisionsregardingwhicheventstoattendwouldbeuptothefacultyadvisorsofthegirlsinSTEMcluband
wouldbebasedontheeventsagenda,clubmembersinterests,scheduleavailability,andtiming.The
followingareexamplesofthetypesofconferencesthatgrantmoneywouldbeusedfor:
FIRST Women in Science and Technology (WIST) Conference
BiannualeventinManchester,NHattheUniversityofNewHampshireCampus
Nexteventisfall2014
Connecticut Womens Education and Legal Fund Expos
Eachonedayexpoisheldatalocalcollegeoruniversityandconsistsofhandsonworkshopsand
teambuildingexercisesledbywomeninSTEMcareers.
Upcomingexpos:
UniversityofHartford3/15/2014
GatewayCommunityCollege4/4/2014

CentralConnecticutStateUniversity4/11/2014

Conference Timeline
Timebeforeevent

Action

3months

Submitfieldtrippaperworktoschoolforapproval

2months

Upontripapproval:
Distributepermissionslips
Registerforconference
Submitrequestforbustransportation

1month

Confirmrosterforfieldtrip

Endofevent

Distributesurveytostudents

Travel Requirements
FirstStudentwillbeusedforalltransportationtoandfromevents.

Women in STEM Day at SWHS

Overview
AonedayeventatSouthWindsorHighSchoolthatconnectsgirlsinterestedinSTEMfieldswithwomen
currentlyworkinginthosefields.
Proposed Agenda
8:008:30

Guestspeakerarrival,checkin,andoverviewwithhighschoolstaffcoordinating
event.Refreshmentsprovided.

8:3010:00

Paneldiscussionwithguestsandstudents.

10:0010:45

Breakoutsession1

10:4511:30

Breakoutsession2

11:3012:30

Luncheonwithguestspeakersandstudentstoprovideanopportunityfor1:1
discussionandQ&A

Facilities needed
Highschoolauditoriumforoverviewsession
23smallerspacesforbreakoutsessionsandlunch
Materials
Thankyoucards
Travel Requirements
None
Planning Timeline
Timebeforeevent

Action

3months

Submitbuildinguseform
Contactpotentialguestspeakers

Submitfieldtriprequestform(requiredforinschoolfieldtrips)
2months

Informstudentsofevent
Distributepermissionslips
Confirmguestspeakers

1month

Confirmnumberofstudentsattending
Confirmagenda
Planrefreshmentsandlunch

1week

Distributeagendatoguests
Provideguestswithlogisticalinformationsuchasparking,directionstohigh
school
Orderrefreshmentsandlunch

Endofevent

Distributesurveytoguestsandstudents

1dayafterevent

Mailthankyoucardstoguests

Assessment
Achievementofthestategoalwillbemeasuredby:
Surveyresults
Enrollmentinscience,technology,engineeringandmathcoursesbyfemalestudents

Past Successes
Withhelpfromascienceteacherandcounselingintern,IorganizedatriptotheFIRSTWomeninScienceand
TechnologyconferenceinNovember2012.Wetookapproximately20girlstotheUniversityofNewHampshire
fortheevent.Thefeedbackfromstudentswassooverwhelminglypositive,thatthecounselinginternandI
decidedtoplanourownWomeninSTEMdayatSouthWindsorHighSchool,withhelpfromanotherinthe
counselingdepartment.Ihopetoexpandtheeventinthefuture.Wecangeneratemoreinterestinthisevent
bybringinggirlstooutsideconferences,suchastheonesmentionedabove.

Future Plans
IfIamabletobringalargergroupofstudentstotheseconferencesandfeedbackispositive,Iplantoaskfor
boardofeducationfunding.LastyearwhenwevisitedtheFIRSTWISTconferenceandhostedourown
WomeninSTEMdayatthehighschool,wehadaverysmallgroupofgirls.Partofthereasonwasthecostof
attendingtheFIRSTWISTconference,whichwasnearly$30perstudent.Ihopetogarnermoreinterestwitha
lowercostperstudent.