Computer maker, Acer, has created the Make Your Mark campaign to spotlight women in STEM fields who are inspiring a generation. STEM Like a Girl Founder and President, Sarah Foster, is proud to share her story and what motivates her to make her mark.
When I started STEM Like a Girl in 2017, I knew I wanted to help engage and excite young girls in the fields of STEM. After leading STEM activities in my sons’ elementary school, I noticed that the 4th and 5th grade girls weren’t raising their hands or jumping into the projects as eagerly as the boys were. I was surprised to see a gender gap at such a young age and saw a need for low-cost, hands-on STEM programs for elementary school girls. There is a lot of focus on engaging high school and college girls and women in STEM but I wanted to inspire even younger girls to get involved in these fields. Studies show that girls start self-selecting out of advanced math and science courses as young as 14!
While working with young girls, I found that parent involvement was equally as important for developing their stem identity. Parents are the primary role models for their kids and drive so much of their interests, especially in elementary school. Giving parents the tools to teach and engage their daughters in STEM activities is crucial. I’ve had many parents say to me “my daughter loves doing experiments but I have no idea how to do that at home!” I want to build confidence in both the girls and their parents to see that STEM is something they can do as a family and that they don’t need any formal training or advanced degrees to do so. This is why we host Parent-Daughter Workshops so they can work together to solve hands-on challenges as a team.
Inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers was and continues to be my motivation, but a funny thing happened after our first workshop. Seeing the looks of accomplishment on the girls’ faces as they figured something out, the parent telling me how much they loved the uninterrupted bonding time with their daughter, or listening to the female STEM mentors sharing their stories affected me in a way I didn’t know would happen. I realized I was equally inspired by all the girls, parents, and volunteers that joined us! I was looking at a room full of girls, women, and moms and dads that were inspiring each other to try hard things and push the limits of what we all thought was possible. I set out to encourage girls in STEM but have gotten back so much more than I could have imagined!
When I used to work in a traditional biotech role doing research, I thought that was the only way to use my engineering skills to make a difference in our society. Since starting STEM Like a Girl, I truly feel that inspiring young girls in STEM is the best way for me to make my mark. So I want to say thank you to the girls, parents, volunteers, and community members who support STEM Like a Girl. Let’s all continue to inspire each other so that we can all #MakeYourMark in this world the best way we can!
