Being there at the moment when a young person comes alive and discovers a potential path for their future is inspiring. For generations, summer camps have been incubators that help mold the minds of young people to create future leaders. Among the many benefits of the summer camp experience are the expanding ways that specialized camps are helping young people who are underrepresented in STEM fields see a possible future for themselves in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. Every summer at URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy we see that spark of discovery happen again and again.
Why is that important? Because, despite the heightened awareness of the lack of gender diversity in the STEM fields over the past several years, the gap still remains very wide. Women make up roughly half of the workforce in the United States, but they account for only one-third of STEM occupations. There has been decades of research, work and advocacy to increase gender diversity in STEM yet girls and nonbinary people still remain vastly underrepresented in education and careers.
When all of the research and statistics are dissected, a significant fundamental cause of the lack of women and gender nonconforming people in STEM boils down to the lack of encouragement they receive at a young age. To expand STEM opportunities for girls, there must be increased support for their interest in pursuing STEM careers to work towards closing the gender gap and creating a more diverse and inclusive scientific community that will in turn lead to the retention of women in the field.
Enrollment numbers for girls and nonbinary students in STEM programs across the country remain low despite the increased foundation of more programming, efforts and funding of equitable STEM education efforts in the past few years. The education is out there but is only being accessed by a select few. The few who do receive access do not receive the proper encouragement they need to keep pursuing their interest in STEM.
At URJ 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy, where I serve as a director, we are working to contribute to that culture of inclusion in order to close the gender gap in STEM professions and change the landscape of gender diversity in STEM.
During our camp’s first summer 10 years ago, the inaugural class of campers had only 27 girls out of a class of 159. Since the opening of our camp, the Women of Reform Judaism have been providing scholarships to our campers, and in 2019 we received a grant from Women of Reform Judaism that was matched by the Genesis Foundation with the goal of raising the average percentage of girls at Sci-Tech from 30% to 40%. This philanthropic investment allowed our camp to launch a #SupportGirlsinSTEM campaign where every girl who attended for the first time received a $200 scholarship. The number of girls enrolled at our STEM camp has increased several times over. And as we celebrate our 10th anniversary this summer we can proudly say the percentage of girls and nonbinary kids in our program is higher than the national average for STEM students.
We have found that girls tend to not pursue STEM education or careers because they don’t see how it can positively help people or society. By emphasizing how STEM can be used to repair the world, engagement and interest vastly increases. For example, one student of ours came to camp with little interest in a STEM career. However, after spending time learning about environmental science, she became incredibly involved and interested in climate activism. This led to her leading a river cleanup project and spearheading fundraising efforts for environmental justice.
By meeting kids where they are and listening to their needs, meaningful programs and initiatives can be implemented to lead to the normalization of girls and gender nonconforming kids in STEM spaces. At Sci-Tech we have daily “Scientist of the Day” presentations, where we make a concerted effort to tell the stories of diverse STEM heroes and introduce female and nonbinary role models. Telling these stories can have a great impact on helping kids normally excluded from STEM feel seen and heard.
A broad application of social justice in the STEM field not only is a great way to recruit and retain students, but also has the potential to create a cycle of equity that impacts multiple areas of life. There is a great opportunity to address the most pressing issues of our time, such as climate change, clean energy, human health and cybersecurity by fostering rich, diverse understandings of science, technology, digital skills and more amongst the next generation of STEM.
Philanthropic investment in programs like these signal what can be possible when we invest in underrepresented groups to reach their potential in STEM. Still, increasing the level of gender diversity in STEM programs, as we continue to do, should be the floor, not the ceiling. We should be aiming to create pathways of support for young women and girls so that education and employment numbers reflect the parity we are seeing in other professions. By creating a culture that respects and encourages curiosity, girls can walk away with strengthened confidence and an understanding of their place in the long history of women’s contributions to science, engineering, math, and technology.
This generation has shown that they are willing and able to explore and create change through STEM to make the world a better place. By supporting girls and nonbinary students in STEM, we can create a more diverse and inclusive scientific community that will help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges and ensure a brighter future for all.
Jayme Mallindine is the director of the Union for Reform Judaism’s 6 Points Sci-Tech Academy.
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