We are pleased to report that the Girls 4 Science Summer Saturday STEM Academy on Food Chemistry kicked off July 25 with the science of ice cream making, just in time for the summer heat. G4S staff and volunteer mentors facilitated class on the Zoom platform with a total of 75 students at three “sites.” The remaining summer sessions will include candy chromatography; building lava lamps; meeting and career discussion with the staff scientists and virtual tour of Merieux NutriSciences, a world leader in food safety and quality; kitchen density experiments to demonstrate the concepts of the scientific process, including hypothesis development, experimentation, data analysis and conclusions, and report writing; and a discussion of data reliability and ethics.
The Summer session will conclude with the Student Awards and Recognition Ceremony on Saturday August 29, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm via Zoom. The program features a keynote speaker, the awarding of the Linda McGill Boasmond college scholarships and the presentation of certificates to the girls who participated in the program throughout the year.
Registration for the Fall Saturday STEM Academy on Anthropology opens August 16.
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The Girls 4 Science Advisory Board is hosting a Double Good
Popcorn Fundraiser August 13-17.
Double Good is a local company that makes delicious popcorn. Each of Double Good’s 16 unique flavors is handcrafted in small batches and full of big flavor. Order online – delivered to your door. 50% of proceeds go to Girls 4 Science.
The G4S pop-up store is open NOW.
Please stop by to support Girls 4 Science.
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NEW RESOURCES ON G4S WEB SITE |
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The G4S Alumni Association page provides professional development resources including video tutorials on interview help, professional networking, resume writing and self-assessment tools, and volunteer opportunities with Girls 4 Science. G4S Alumni can stay connected by joining the Girls 4 Science Alumni Group on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribing to the G4S Alumni Newsletter, which will feature alumni spotlights, news and achievements related to women in STEM, and updates from current Girls 4 Science programs. The newsletter will also include information about local networking opportunities and provide tips to help G4S alum succeed in college, careers, and beyond.
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LINDA MCGILL BOASMOND
2020 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Three Girls 4 Science 2020 high school graduates will each receive $1,000 Linda McGill Boasmond Scholarships. The scholarships will be awarded at the Student Awards and Recognition Ceremony on Saturday August 29, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm via Zoom. G4S is pleased to introduce the 2020 Linda McGill Boasmond Scholarship recipients.
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RaMaya Johnson
Augustana College
Major: Pre-Medicine
Participating in Girls 4 Science at a young age built a strong foundation and yearning to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and STEM-based careers. Girls 4 Science surrounded me with knowledgeable individuals that allowed me to explore the world of STEM. I enjoyed the hands-on activities held at Olive Harvey College in the science labs, as well as the once-in-a-lifetime field trips to Fermilab, a Ford factory and Ingredion. I met amazing and smart young ladies my age and was mentored by older participants who also shared a passion for STEM. Because of Girls 4 Science, I was able to participate in other STEM-based opportunities like The Ice Box Derby and various internships at top hospitals in the Greater Chicagoland area. Girls 4 Science was instrumental in my decision to continue my journey in STEM. This fall, I will be attending Augustana College on a Pre-Med track to one day become a Dermatologist.
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Summer Smith
New York University
Major: Biochemistry
I started as a participant in Girls 4 Science in the sixth grade and was exposed to the breadth of STEM fields, which not only fueled my love for science, but also pushed me to aspire to enter a career in medicine as an obstetrician-gynecologist. As I entered my freshman year of high school and expanded my knowledge of the sciences, I was allowed to provide input on some of the lessons the other G4S participants would learn. Girls 4 Science is one of my favorite activities because it allows me to have a tangible effect on my community. I love being able to participate in the lessons that get young women of color excited about science because these Saturdays create potential for more women of color to join STEM fields to change the face of medicine, research, and science. Ensuring that STEM fields in the future are filled with more people of color would be beneficial to these communities. I believe that having Black and Brown people in positions of power would not only enact change in our own communities, but hopefully change the way we are treated in the rest of the nation.
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Becky Harris
Joliet Junior College
Major: Biology
I first learned about Girls for Science in sixth grade. My sixth-grade teacher at Joliet’s Dirksen Junior High School informed me about the program. I was told it was a great way for girls to learn more about science and a way to make friends who had the same interests as me. The first time I went to the Saturday program I found it fun and exciting. There were a lot of great people; many now are close friends who have helped shape me to be the person I am today. They introduced me into the world of science and gave me opportunities I never got in school. I met women in different fields of STEM, which opened my mind to different ideas about what I could dream about and accomplish. I learned things that helped me in school and will help me later in life. I will be going to Joliet Junior College majoring in biology. I will get a job one day as a forensic analyst specializing in human DNA. Girls for Science has helped me in so many ways and has shaped my future. For instance, I learned there are a lot more opportunities in the STEM field, such as my future career in Biology. Girls for Science also helped my self-esteem by building my confidence in the labs and by giving me a chance to discuss our lab success and failures equally. The labs were interesting and made my critical thinking skills better. As a forensic analyst I will have to think and make critical decisions needed to properly interpret lab and test results.
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GIRLS 4 SCIENCE RECEIVES GRANT |
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Girls 4 Science received a competitive grant from Camelot Illinois LLC to support the Saturday STEM Academy in 2021. This is the second year of funding for non-profit organizations through the Camelot Illinois Grant Program. Over the past year, Camelot Illinois has supported the community with grants and donations totaling $241,800.
“Camelot Illinois is committed to education equality, opportunity and inclusion,” said Camelot Illinois General Manager and General Counsel Keith Horton. “Over the past two years, we have looked beyond our walls to support education and development opportunities in ways that meet the needs of our community. The Camelot Illinois Grant Program is one way that we proudly show our support for worthy causes throughout the state.”
The Camelot grant will enable Girls 4 Science to add a fourth 6-week session of the Saturday STEM Academy in 2021, increasing the number of girls who can access the program. “The Girls 4 Science (G4S) Saturday STEM Academy is unique in this region, and fills a critical need to provide accessible, hands-on, high-quality scientific programming for young women in the Chicagoland area,” says Anthony Williams, PhD, member of the G4S Board of Directors. “We thank Camelot Illinois for its financial contribution, and we are excited to partner with them in our endeavor to create sustainable pipelines for women of color in STEM careers.”
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Your generous donations
help us expand our programs and expose more girls to STEM and the career opportunities available.
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Other Ways to Support G4S
- Sponsor a Saturday Science Academy
- Host a Saturday Science Quarter
- Donate program supplies
- Sponsor a bus for a G4S field trip
- Provide refreshments for a G4S Saturday Science Academy
- Sponsor G4S T-shirts with your company logo
- Become a volunteer
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