Participants were required to build: a paper structure to support heavy books, an emergency shelter sturdy enough to fit at least one person, and a structure that can withstand an earthquake’s shake.ĭuring a quick look at the GSWW website, I found 14 STEM-related activities, some virtual and some hands on, during July and August. In June, for example, the SWE Pacific Northwest Section held “Think Like an Engineer,” an in-person Girl Scouts workshop for fourth- and fifth-graders to encourage them to use design thinking to solve problems and work through three design challenges. I spoke with Julie Wendell, chief mission delivery officer for the Girl Scouts of Western Washington (GSWW), and she explained how their robust STEM programming includes partnering with groups like SWE, as well as local companies such as The Boeing Company and Alaska Airlines. Then, in 2017, the Girl Scouts of the USA launched a national initiative designed to help close the gender gap in STEM education and employment by putting 2.5 million girls through its STEM programs by 2025.Īccording to the document “Four Ways Girl Scouts Builds Girl Leaders in STEM,” on the organization’s website, “Girl Scouts provides countless opportunities for young girls to jump into STEM and explore their interests and passions with fun, challenging activities like building robots, designing apps and video games, and collecting data to help scientists protect the environment.” In 2012, the Girl Scout Research Institute issued a comprehensive, 30-page report titled “Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.” The research found that while 74% of teen girls are interested in STEM fields and STEM subjects, many of them didn’t list a STEM career as their first choice. Some of the badges, such as cybersecurity, sound interesting enough that I want to do the work to earn them! Based on the online information, there are 19 STEM badges for Junior Girl Scouts, including all aspects of STEM, from nature to robotics to cybersecurity to design. Since then, the organization has come a long way in encouraging Girl Scouts in STEM activities and education. The Cadette Handbook (ages 11–14 years) offered more STEM options. Compare this with the nine badges at the time geared toward home, crafts, and hospitality.Įven then, though, the Girl Scouts were growing future leaders, and many of the other badges related to working as a group (troop or family), citizenship, and outdoors. (My Junior Girl Scout Handbook has a copyright of 1963.) The Junior Handbook (ages 8–11 years) contains 46 badges, three of which have some STEM-related aspects: Observer, Pets, and Rambler. I recently found my Junior and Cadette Girl Scout Handbooks from then. Learn more and register at Summer Day Camps in Cleveland, OHĬampers learn the fundamentals of various activities, participate in friendly competition, and have fun in a positive and nurturing environment.While researching information for this piece, I marveled at how far the Girl Scouts have come since I was a Scout, which was circa the early 1970s. There is something for every child at Challenge Island! enrichment program full of hands-on fun, centered around a variety of pop-culture themed camps like wizardry, animals, slime, arcade games, and travel. Every child is appreciated for what they bring to the team as they put their creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, problem solving and communication skills to work.Ĭhallenge Island is a one-of-a-kind S.T.E.A.M. Our fun filled camps inspire creative problem solving as children embark on unique “island” adventures, working in teams to complete STEM/STEAM-based challenges using only the materials in their treasure chest and their own creativity to build structures, create games, explore chemistry and more.Ĭhallenge Island provides kids with a much-needed break from screens and electronics as they take on the STEAM challenges and freely go in any direction they choose. Challenge Island is where engineering meets imagination!
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