Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Month
March is Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Month! This month is all about helping young girls develop more interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) throughout their educational careers.
STEM workers play an important role in America’s innovative capacity and global competitiveness. They are our engineers, scientists, doctors, sociologists, and analysts. Although the gender gap in STEM has been closing in recent years, there is still a significant underrepresentation of women in these fields. According to the National Science Foundation, women make up only 28% of the workforce in science and engineering. Women of color are even more underrepresented.
It’s important to address this gender gap and encourage young girls to pursue their passions in STEM. Here are a few nonprofit organizations we love that are dedicated to helping girls learn and grow in these fields:
Girls Who Code is a nonprofit organization that aims to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like and does. They offer free after-school programs, summer camps, and other educational opportunities for girls to learn how to code and pursue careers in tech.
Black Girls Code is another nonprofit organization that is dedicated to introducing girls of color to the world of technology and computer science. They offer workshops, hackathons, and other educational programs that aim to inspire and empower girls to pursue careers in tech.
Techbridge Girls is a nonprofit organization that works to inspire and empower girls from low-income communities to pursue STEM careers. They offer after-school programs, summer camps, and other educational opportunities that aim to bridge the gender and racial gaps in STEM.
Million Women Mentors is a national movement that aims to provide one million mentors to girls and women pursuing STEM careers. Their goal is to increase the number of girls and women who pursue STEM careers and create a more diverse and inclusive STEM workforce.
The Society of Women Engineers is a nonprofit organization that aims to support and promote women in engineering. They offer networking opportunities, educational programs, and other resources to empower women to succeed in the field of engineering.
How can you help girls learn STEM?
There are many ways you can help girls learn STEM. Here are a few ideas:
Talk to girls about STEM. Let them know about the many opportunities available in STEM fields, and encourage them to pursue their interests.
Mentor a girl in STEM. If you are a woman in a STEM field, consider mentoring a girl who is interested in pursuing a career in STEM.
Support STEM education. Donate to organizations like Science is Elementary that are working to improve STEM education for girls, or volunteer your time to teach a STEM class.
By taking these steps, you can help girls learn STEM and develop the skills they need to succeed as the next generation of problem solvers.
