On Friday we had the second annual Girls Have IT Day! at Xavier. This event was the brain child of my colleague, Frances Ward. She is so creative and smart. She came to me with this idea after I had just been on the job a few days and didn’t know that there would be obstacles. She said she had been sitting on this idea for four years and had been unable to get any traction. What alarmed her were the statistics she had read regarding women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. (STEM) Only 20% of the STEM jobs in the US are held by women. Only 17% of the people who take the AP Computer Science test are female. The dismal stats go on. In my own house I have heard my daughter say “I am no good at math.” How would she know? I used to say that myself. And in a self-fulfilling prophecy, I limited my own potential and opportunity.
It has been a busy time. The week prior, we held the Video Game Tournament at Xavier. I try to let go of the reigns and let the girls take charge. They do an amazing job, but I get stressed about the details. Then I had a big talk to give this week about online learning. I had caught a cold and lost my voice. How would I give the big talk? I prayed and prayed and tried to stay silent to preserve whatever voice I might have. I was able to get through it with a voice for about an hour. Then, a coughing fit hit and I was done. By Friday morning, voiceless, I was panicked about how I would host Girls Have IT Day!
Frances and I make a great team. I like getting up in front of everybody and playing host. Frances seems to enjoy the behind the scenes making sure all the activities get set up. Both jobs require a voice. A few hours before we were to start, I went to AP Physics, my “go to” class when I need help, and I wrote a message on the board. “HELP! I have lost my voice and I need someone to talk for me at Girls Have IT Day. I will more or less tell you what to say.” Alexis Arellano stepped up and said “I’ll do it!” without a moment’s hesitation. God bless Alexis.
At the end of the day, several girls told me they want to be engineers. Other girls wrote a big sign on butcher paper thanking Frances and me for what we do. Right back at them. These girls are so creative and willing to do what it takes to help inspire the middle school girls. They do a beautiful job showing our guests the myriad ways to be involved in STEM. Studies show that students who study STEM, whether or not they get a job in STEM, are better students. They do better in their careers – regardless of the career. By showing our students and our guests many of the ways STEM touches our lives, we are improving opportunities for them and encouraging them to do better in school. I am so lucky to be able to work with them. Changing the world. One girl at a time.
