Tamia Bounds, left, and Dasire Ellis, both eighth graders from Fremont Middle School, react as they test their jet car in the Nitschke Hall hallway Friday during Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day.
Sponsored by the Toledo Society of Professional Engineers in partnership with The University of Toledo and DiscoverE as part of Engineers Week, The Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day is a series designed to provide middle school-aged girls a greater understanding of STEM-career fields through interactive programming and presentations by women in the field of engineering throughout spring semester.
Studies have found that girls tend to lose confidence in math and science and lose interest in STEM fields in early adolescence. The award-winning program was built to show girls in this age group that there are options for them along with people just like them who have made a career out of their burgeoning interest in engineering and technology.
Throughout the five years of this program in action, more than 2,500 girls have taken part in this series from 32 school districts across Northern Ohio, along with more than 30 companies, 10 student organizations and individuals from multiple professional leadership groups throughout Toledo and the northwest Ohio area.
This year, more than 750 girls from 15 school districts along with the 14 companies and organizations will have participated in the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Program over three dates including Friday, Feb. 24. The Friday, March 24, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day still has some availability, but the Friday, April 14 Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day for Sylvania Schools is at capacity.
From left to right, Loella Dilbone, Natalie Huber, Paige White and Addison Naveau, all eighth graders from Liberty Center Middle School, celebrate the successful raising of a tower they built from straws. Their tower won in a competition between three groups to build the tallest tower.
