At Ferguson Middle School in St. Louis, women engineers from Boeing sat down with 75 girls for breakfast and an introduction to the world of science, technology, engineering and math. An opportunity to engage hands-on with STEM activities, such as building lava lamps and creating an engineering design for a mobile robot, followed. The event was sponsored by Black Girls Do STEM, (BGDSTEM) a St. Louis-based organization focused on connecting young girls of color to science.
“We know that there are obstacles at every stage of the educational system in America, especially for urban youth and Black girls,” said Cynthia Chapple, founder and managing director. “Students need to feel supported, seen and heard in certain spaces.”
Since launching BGDSTEM in 2019, Chapple has engaged students at five partner middle schools in St. Louis. Monthly Saturday activities bring students together with mentors to work on projects and experiments in materials science, engineering, technology, cosmetic science and more. The girls also go on field trips and meet Black women who are leaders in the STEM community.
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