200 Students Invited to Girls Engineer It Day, November 7
SAVANNAH (October 16, 2020) – The Society of Women Engineers’ Girls Engineer It Day is now a virtual event scheduled for November 7, 2020.
What: The local chapter of Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is making this annual event a fun, virtual experience for 200 Coastal Empire elementary and middle school students. The science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities are designed to encourage involvement and create excitement about engineering.
Girls Engineer It Day encourages and educates the students as they discover the future through technology. This event offers invaluable hands-on and industry exposure to elementary and middle school students to different types of engineering. The goal of the event is to inspire all participants to consider careers in STEM. By making engineering fun, we encourage young women to shine in STEM classes and explore opportunities in a traditionally a male-dominated field. SWE wants all the participants to realize that any woman can become an engineer and choose from various engineering disciplines. We want them to grow up and take our places in the STEM industry of the Savannah Coastal Empire!
This event facilitates collaboration between students in grades 1-8 and local STEM professionals and teachers. Students will participate in multiple hands-on projects designed to challenge their creativity, promote teamwork, and introduce them to the wonderful world of engineering. While Girls Engineer It Day is aimed at girls, boys are encouraged to attend. Elementary and middle school students will participate in separate tracks of two classes of their choice lasting one hour each:
Elementary School
Heart Soundproof Boxes
M&M’s in Space
Rockin’ Roller Coaster
Sticky Science
Soap Powered Boat
Middle School
Tiny Dancing Doll
Better Water for a Better World
Exploring the Ocean with Robots
Dreams to 3D Reality
LED Bracelet
When: November 7, 2020
Where: This event is virtual. The Zoom link will be shared two days before the event.
Registration: The fee is $5 and includes all supplies for the activities. The supplies are shipped at no additional cost. The registration cutoff for receiving supplies by mail is October 24. After October 24, the supplies will be available at a local pickup to be communicated.
For More Information: To learn more about Girls Engineer It Day and to register, visit www.sceswe.org/geid. For media inquiries, contact Marsha Tomlin at sceswe@gmail.com, 912-251-3643.
Sponsors: This event is made possible by our sponsors. Creative Coast, an overall sponsor, generously donated their time and resources to help make this event successful. The following organizations sponsored various engineering activities: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA); Georgia Tech – Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics & Computing (CEISMC); Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); and MegaWatt Lasers.
“We are thrilled to be a part of such an important movement. American culture has traditionally misled young women to believe that they cannot excel in high-technology professions, and as a result, they often hold negative perceptions of engineering careers. Girls and young women are less likely than young men to agree with the statement, ‘I like math, or I like science.’ Our driving goal is to change that perspective one student at a time!” –Whitney Holt, Savannah Coastal Empire SWE President
“I just wanted to say my girls at Charles Ellis had a great time at the Girls Engineer It Day! Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to put this on, year after year! This is very beneficial to these kids and has opened their eyes to what they can accomplish. So much appreciated!” –O.L., local teacher
About SWE
The Society of Women Engineers, founded in 1950, is a nonprofit educational and service organization. SWE is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in those aspirations and be recognized for their life-changing contributions and achievements as engineers and leaders.
The need for the United States to build a new generation of leaders proficient in engineering and technology is at the top of the nation’s agenda. While encouraging all young people to pursue careers in related fields is critical, this initiative has even greater significance among the nation’s young women.
