AAUW’s hands-on booth was a huge success at the USA Science & Engineering Festival on the National Mall this past weekend. The festival featured more than 1,500 activities and 75 stage shows, and more than 500 leading science and engineering organizations participated. The vendors provided a unique experience for kids of all ages. Whether kids wanted to query Albert Einstein, meet their favorite characters from PBS shows, or make neon-colored edible goo, there was something at the festival for everyone!
AAUW’s booth offered fun science activities, facts about inspiring women scientists, and information about AAUW programs that encourage girls to explore the fascinating fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Large pictures of many important women scientists hung in the booth, prompting discussion about their accomplishments. Visitors were fascinated by these women’s stories, which are excellent examples of what women can do when they put their minds to it!
One after another, kids streamed into the AAUW booth, some of them interested in the Oreo cookie exercise about splitting molecules while others wanted to count with M&M’s. The noise of the “screaming cup” attracted crowds of kids to the booth for an amusingly noisy experiment involving string and a plastic cup, which acted as an amplifier.
Students and parents alike were delighted to participate in our three experiments and took materials home with them so they could re-create the fun. Science teachers from schools across the region stopped by, and they left excited to try out the activities in their classrooms. Many parents were interested in learning about AAUW’s STEM resources and wanted to get their kids more heavily involved in STEM activities outside of school.
The attendees kept AAUW volunteers busy both days, and many AAUW staff volunteered or stopped by to see the kids in action! The festival is just one way in which AAUW is promoting science, technology, engineering, and math education, especially for girls and other underrepresented populations.
Find out more about AAUW’s efforts and what you can do to make science fun for girls. And make sure to join us at the next USA Science & Engineering Festival in 2012!
This post was written by Ana Kay Yaghoubian, AAUW Program Associate, National Girls Collaborative Project.
AAUW Dialog 
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