ITs SMART : An Overview of Girls Inc. of Holyoke’s IT and SMART Programs
description
Transcript of ITs SMART : An Overview of Girls Inc. of Holyoke’s IT and SMART Programs
ITs SMART: An Overview of
Girls Inc. of Holyoke’sIT and SMART Programs
Suzanne Parker
Executive Director
Girls Inc. 101Our History, Our Mission, Our Vision, Our Programs
STEM Need: Why Girls Only?
SMART @ Girls Inc.What Happens When We
Assume girls are interested in math and science
SMART @ Girls Inc.What Happens When We
Let girls make big, interesting mistakes
SMART @ Girls Inc.What Happens When We
Help girls get past the YUCK! factor
SMART @ Girls Inc.What Happens When We
Expect girls to succeed
@ Girls Inc.Explore and pursue IT careers
Enroll in high school algebra & geometry
Use technology & build confidence
Prepare for STEM undergraduate
programs
Engaging girls through problem solving and design
@ Girls Inc.
Mother/Daughter Tech Nights
What we have learned… Girls began to develop the Enduring Understandings about form and function, how the Internet works, etc.
Girls developed confidence with technology
Some girls became interested in IT careers
Families must be engaged, they can benefit just as much as the girls
As IT changes so must our programmingStaff need access to training Girls need access to the most up-to-date technology
Strong collaborations to IT professionals are a key to success
Implementation over school breaks or summer have more consistent enrollment
Opportunities for Growth• College Access
• Blogging
• Financial Literacy
• IT career pathways
• Safety & Security
• Research
• Academic Support
• Family Workshops
• Web Design
• Gaming
• Science & Math
• Health Research
• Media Literacy
• And…
Connect with Us, Contact Uswww.girlsincholyoke.org