The following information was provided by Minuteman High School:
Are you a seventh- or eighth-grade girl who likes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and wants to learn more about those subjects in a supportive, female-oriented environment? Do you enjoy doing projects that are both fun and educational? Are you interested in finding out about exciting career paths in STEM?
Then register now for the Girls in STEM camp at Minuteman High School in Lexington that will be held from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. during the week of February 19-22, 2019. Space is limited, so don’t wait! In-district applications will be given priority. Minuteman’s district towns are Acton, Arlington, Belmont, Bolton, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Needham and Stow.
This event featuring hands-on learning experiences is sponsored by Minuteman’s Girls in STEM Club, which consists of outstanding young women certified in mentoring who are currently being mentored themselves by successful female STEM professionals. Minuteman’s Girls in STEM are eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with middle-school girls who want to pursue and advance in STEM fields.
Launched in February 2015, the Girls in STEM initiative at Minuteman has earned both state and national awards for excellence in student-to-student mentoring including recognition from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) and two consecutive Grand Prizes from SkillsUSA, a national organization that holds trade and leadership competitions for students in career and technical schools.
Major local media outlets such as the Boston Globe and New England Cable News (NECN) have spotlighted Girls in STEM at Minuteman.
The push to get more girls interested in STEM professions and education has come about due to the under-representation of females in those areas. “What we’re doing is answering a need out there,” said Minuteman Director of Career and Technical Education Michelle Roche. She has been instrumental in the implementation of the Girls in STEM programs at Minuteman, along with Girls in STEM Advisors Sarah Ard and Nina Griffin.
The overall intent, added Ms. Roche, is “just to create a positive environment for girls to use their voice and feel safe and comfortable in that environment. With all females, the competition goes away, and it’s just about the work at hand. Empowering them, that’s what this is all about.” She defined the mission of Girls in STEM at Minuteman succinctly: “We need to do everything we can to support girls and lift them up. They’re learning what it takes to be successful.”
Please go to www.minuteman.org then go to the Admissions tab on the home page and click on “Girls in STEM” to register online For more information, contact Michelle Roche, Director of Career and Technical Education at Minuteman, at 781-861-6500 x7326.
This program is free to seventh- and eighth-grade girls in the Minuteman district. Bus transportation is available to in-district students. Students not in-district must pay a $149 fee and provide their own transportation to and
from the camp. Checks will be collected on the first day of the camp and should be made out to “Minuteman.”
Minuteman is seven months away from moving into a new $145M facility that has been designed to support a robust college and career academy model. The academy model was adopted by staff and administration to create smaller “schools within a school” thereby promoting more personalized learning founded upon close relationships between students and teachers. The Minuteman college and career academy model integrates rigorous academics with relevant technical programming in occupational areas providing individual economic opportunity. The new facility will accommodate project-based learning across disciplines, requiring students to learn how to work on a diverse team, solve problems and think critically. These are essential 21st-century skills that students practice and apply in a variety of school-based and work-based environments. As an accredited member of the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC), Minuteman inspires all students to attain their full potential, accelerate their learning, and become purposeful citizens in the global community.