Putting Some MAGiC into STEM

Day in and day out, AAUW members cultivate girls’ achievement and interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. The message: Yes, you can have this kind of fulfilling, exciting, and often lucrative career. It’s not just for boys.

At the recent Mid-Atlantic Girls Collaborative (MAGiC) Annual Conference on September 24, AAUW members Laura Jones and Linda Martin joined more than 45 fellow grassroots advocates at the Microsoft Technology Center in Reston, Virginia, to brainstorm, share ideas and effective strategies, and make connections. Nine grassroots groups (from Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia) funded by MAGiC mini-grants showcased their work. Advocates and educators led roundtables on fundraising, volunteer engagement, program evaluation, cool activity ideas, and engaging school systems. The collaboration that happens during these conferences is key to finding resources and partners in the local community.

As teachers in Fairfax County Public Schools, Jones and Martin have always had a passion for helping kids learn. And when Jones’ daughter said she was having trouble with math 17 years ago, Jones wanted to create a special place for her daughter to grow and develop.

So Jones started a grassroots initiative, the GEMS club (Girls Excelling in Math and Science) for elementary school girls. The effort has grown to 16 clubs across the school system. Recently, the effort has gained new funding sources from local corporations and has received national recognition from the Clinton Global Initiative. Jones shares the formula for creating a GEMS club at your local school at www.gemsclub.org. Also on the site are research materials, activities, and information on how to host a daylong GEMS conference where girls can participate in hands-on workshops.

Thanks to their work and years of collaboration — supported by AAUW and MAGiC — the GEMS club participants build and launch rockets, take field trips to the U.S. Science and Engineering Festival on the National Mall, and meet women in STEM careers who serve as role models who demonstrate that yes, you can have this kind of career.

The MAGiC conference showed how many people are active with their own projects around girls in STEM and how many support the type of effort Jones and Martin are spearheading in their community. There is nothing more powerful than a room full of women and men who are passionate about carrying the message to girls: Yes, you can be a computer scientist, physicist, or engineer.

MAGiC is a growing network led by the Women in Engineering program at the University of Maryland. To join a local network, visit the National Girls Collaborative Project website and get involved!

This post was written by AAUW NGCP Liaison Elizabeth Vandenburg.