Sixty-five Girl Scouts attended an informative and hands-on science, technology, engineering and math day organized by the Stephen F. Austin State University College of Sciences and Mathematics this month.
Begun in 2011, the annual Girl Scout STEM Day is hosted by SFA’s STEM Research and Learning Center. Through hands-on learning discoveries, the event is designed for girls to cultivate an early interest in the STEM fields.
“We had approximately 65 Girl Scouts attending our annual Girl Scout STEM Day, which is an increase from 50 attendees last year,” said Julie Sandifer, the SFA STEM Research and Learning Center K-12 outreach coordinator. “The theme was ‘Science is my Superpower’ and was designed for girls kindergarten through sixth grade.”
Girl Scouts who attended the Saturday afternoon event worked with SFA faculty and staff members to make fossils, learn how to use microscopes and computer coding on iPads, and investigated engineering in science with origami. Participants also examined the golden ratio in nature, investigated the properties of fungi, and explored the world of reptiles, bugs and animals with the interactive Wildlife on the Move presentation by K.C. Rudy, an SFA alumnus and co-owner of Wildlife on the Move, a Dallas-based company that is dedicated to helping children develop an appreciation for nature and fostering a stewardship for Earth’s wildlife.
