Early on Saturday, October 19, 2013 110 girls (4th and 5th graders) and 45 adults with over 75 volunteers converged on the SMU campus for a day of fun. LIttle did they know that they would also learn a lot about STEM (science, technology, engineering, ad math).
The adult break-out session (first ever for Dallas SWE) was for parents and educators to learn a bit more about how to encourage their daughters to pursue a STEM career. The adults heard a panel of speakers in the morning, and a chance to visit any of the ongoing activities the girls were attending, and during the afternoon played with a hands-on activity to learn and take home.
Twenty girls attended a variety of sessions. Twenty girls spent the day in Fasion Camp learning about Lily Pad Arduino processors and fashioning blinking light headbants. The remainder of the girls each participated in three events:
- Up, Up and Away – building rockets using the basics of electrical circuits with buzzers and lights
- Marshmallow Towers that reached the ceiling
- Cosmetics and Lotions
- Principles of Polymers – creating scented sparkling charms
- Creating a Lollipop Express with mechanical cars and tours.
The women of Dallas SWE and SMU SWE hosted the event and made all the magic happen. The bright, sunny day ended too early for many of the girls and parents. The fun, the learning, the experiences, and the enthusiasm were contagious. When surveyed, 96% of parents responded that they would attend an event again, and 98% of parents responded that they would recommend the event to others. The girls responded 82% and 88% to the same questions, and 86% said that they enjoyed the fact that this was an event just for girls.
The following quotes from the girls sum up the day’s success:
- “I wanted to stay all night!”
- “I had soooo much fun.”
- “Next time make it longer.”
- “Thank you for doing this, hope I can come again soon!”
The next Design Your World event is scheduled for March 29, 2014! Stay tuned to the Design Your World site for updates, or add your email address to their mailing list to get information sent directly to you.
