PLN - Creating the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

Pima County School Superintendent'S Office, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

PLN - Creating the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) The Pima County Superintendent of Schools, a local education agency (LEA) will develop and pilot an after school program for Hispanic 5th and 6th grade girls -- Creating the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Creating Leaders combines innovative leadership training with enhanced STEM programming. The Creating Leaders program is innovative and builds on research that has identified elements of successful programming for Hispanic girls. Innovative components of this program include: 1.combining leadership development training with STEM enrichment; 2. teaching practical applications of mathematics in finance and investment; 3. linking STEM with politics and public policy; 4. developing partnerships between women in STEM careers, 5th and 6th grade girls and their parents; and 5. awarding STEM mini-grants to elementary and middle school girls. Outcomes of the planning grant will include: 1. A more extensive literature search to inform curriculum design and program planning; 2. The development of curricula for the after school program to be utilized with Hispanic girls in 5th and 6th grades and their parents; 3. The development of an Advisory Board; 4. The development of partnerships for implementing the program at multiple sites; 5. A pilot test of the after school program in one elementary school; 6. Focus groups with participants in the pilot; and 7. The development of a full proposal for the Creating Leaders program. The Creating Leaders after school program will be piloted in the Elvira Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona. The culturally relevant program components are designed to work synergistically to make SMET fun and relevant to real life, raise SMET literacy, reinforce learning through hands-on activities, allow girls to practice their newly acquired skills and knowledge through community problem solving, and inspire girls to pursue STEM coursework, careers, and leadership positions in STEM fields. Program activities include: 1. Playing the Real Game which teaches students about the global economy while reinforcing the importance of teamwork and cooperation. 2. Raising financial literacy by playing the Cashflow Game which teaches about investing, rate of return, business ownership, and calculating cash flow; 3. Attending field trips to organizations which employ women in STEM careers and local colleges and universities. 4. Utilizing women in STEM careers and high school students to serve as role models and mentors. 5. Leadership development activities. 6. Teaching girls to develop proposals for funding and receive mini-grants to solve a community problem using STEM. 7. Learning about the relationship between STEM, politics and public policy. 8. Developing STEM educational and career goals through academic and career planning. 9. Involving family members in supporting girls STEM educational and career goals. 10. Developing on-line e-tools for teachers and girls in the program. This multi-disciplinary program will provide significant advances in knowledge in the fields of education, leadership development, public policy, and the wide range of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math fields. The activities proposed will broaden the discovery and understanding of how to successfully reach underrepresented groups and will promote teaching, training, and learning among K-12 staff and administrators, students, families, women in STEM careers, and organizations which employ them. Creating Leaders will impact knowledge capital through the creation of a curriculum for use with Hispanic 5th and 6th grade girls and their families, social capital through the creation of a community-based partnership designed to improve the STEM achievement and career attainment of Hispanic girls, and human capital in the improvement in STEM educational and career attainment of Hispanic girls.