April is a busy time for us at Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. Spring Break Day Camps are now in full swing, and we are excitedly preparing for volunteer appreciation events. Busy times reinforce for me the importance of Girl Scouts, and one of our activity pillars where I’m always in awe at the power of Girl Scouts is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

According to Forbes, although girls perform better than boys on exams in STEM subjects, girls are half as likely as boys to think that their best subject is a STEM-related subject. This lack of STEM confidence persists beyond elementary school - women comprise less than a third (24%) of the workforce in STEM careers, and these careers pay competitive wages.

Girl Scouts plays an important role in narrowing this confidence gap. Studies conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute show that doing just one Girl Scout STEM activity can make a difference. These activities result in higher levels of STEM interest and confidence among participants. And with over 90 STEM-related badges, 60+ council-sponsored program events, and countless troop activities, there are so many STEM activities to choose from!

In this issue, you’ll read about a hands-on program held in partnership with Marathon and the University of Findlay where girls engaged in a full day of STEAM ("A" is for arts) activities. You’ll also read about a CSAcon attendee who enjoyed an exciting new partnership to allow girls to learn more about construction. Finally, you’ll read about one of our corporate partners who takes exposing girls to STEM very seriously!

Thank you for all you do to help close the STEM confidence gap and help girls shine!

Yours in Girl Scouting,

Aimée

Aimée Sproles

Chief Executive Officer

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

STEAM Day was a BLAST!

On a chilly Saturday, over 200 girls with their caregivers, siblings, and volunteers gathered at the University of Findlay to participate in "STEAM Day," an event presented by Marathon Corporation. Volunteers from Marathon and the University of Findlay helped the girls perform experiments, create art, and learn about career opportunities in the fields of astronomy, painting, physics, physical therapy, and engineering.

Girls came to learn more about science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) through experiments, painting, and engineering builds. 

The girls got to:

·      Learn about the constellations in northwest Ohio while exploring the planetarium.

·      Try their hands at designing a catapult and launching marshmallows into a container.

·      Explore how chemicals react with each other.

·      Paint a night scene using special paints.

·      Learn how they can move their bodies to be strong and flexible.

The event was part of a collaborative effort between Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, the University of Findlay, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Findlay Women in STEM, and Awakening Minds.

Thank you to our sponsor, Marathon Corporation, and many volunteers for making this exciting program come to life. 

Girls Etch Out a Future at CSAcon

During President’s Day weekend, girls from across the council met up to find their roar at our Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Conference, better known as “CSAcon”! With a weekend full of advocacy and leadership development, girls chose activities and sessions of interest to them while enjoying presenter panels, large group sessions, meals, and fun together.

One program attendee, Ella, a Cadette, enjoyed many of the sessions while being introduced to a new skill during the conference – woodworking. With Lydia Burns of She Builds, Ella was so lucky to try her hand at etching wood with a power rotary tool. But what’s more – when there wasn’t a piece of wood for each girl, Lydia allowed Ella to etch on her own piece of wood from home, alongside her own etchings!

In addition to learning new skills, Ella was excited about seeing Girl Scout camp friends and making new ones - all while finding her roar! 

SheBuilds is a great program partner, supporting our new programming, PowerGirls, which introduces our girls to the construction industry.

Women of Distinction

Corporate Changemaker: ETHICON | J&J Surgical Technologies

At this year's Women of Distinction: Girls Change the World event, we honored Ethicon as our corporate changemaker, due to their work for change on behalf of women and girls.

In 2018, Ethicon established the WiSTEM2D Youth Pillar at the Cincinnati Campus, focused on reaching young girls with the exciting world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Since the local team was formed, they have reached 4,300 girls and counting through a diverse range of events and opportunities. More than 150 employees volunteer their time to support 40+ events for this meaningful impact.

Ethicon has partnered with Girl Scouts of Western Ohio on several projects including program events for our Citizen Scientist and Product Designer Badges. Ethicon was also a national partner for the Climate Challenge program. The team routinely goes above and beyond to make sure these events are exceptional for the girls, and their efforts pay off! One girl who did a job shadow at Ethicon for the Healthcare Career Day went on to pursue a biomedical engineering degree in college.

Thank you, Ethicon, for believing that when you invest in girls, you can change the world. 

We are so grateful for our recent supporters!

Thank you for investing in girls, and supporting the visionary leaders, doers, innovators, creators, and thinkers of tomorrow. 

Did you know that you can double your donation to Girl Scouts of Western Ohio! On our donate page, scroll to the bottom to search for your company and see if your company offers a match!