Girls In STEM Camp

Inspiring Young Women Through Hands-On Learning and Mentorship

The Girls in STEM program was created to help support and engage young women by providing high-quality STEM programming and engagement. This program is open to girls ages 10 to 14 years old, enrolled in a Nevada or California school, who qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch program. With support from our sponsors, we strive to keep Girls in STEM free to all with a nominal registration fee of $20. Accommodations, meals, and programming are included.

Last year was the sixth year of hosting the Girls in STEM program, which is designed to build confidence and foster engagement and interest in STEM pathways. This weekend program is offered each spring and includes an interactive speaker series with female STEM professionals, team-building activities on the challenge course, and outdoor learning sessions in pond, garden, and forest ecology. The program is highly successful and has attracted attention from researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno.1

Assessments

We conduct pre- and post-assessments to measure participants’ comfort with STEM, interest in STEM fields, and career knowledge. Students also rate activity quality. Popular options included the Alpine Tower, Mountain Community Theater, Fire Ecology, and Guest Speaker Series. Assessment data guides program improvements.

The Results

The Pre- and Post-Survey Findings assessed changes in participants’ attitudes and confidence toward STEM education and careers before and after a program. Key findings include:

• Increased Awareness of STEM Careers: Participants showed significant improvement in understanding STEM career options and benefits.

• Greater Comfort in Teamwork: Confidence in working collaboratively increased.

• Sustained Interest in STEM and Higher Education: Interest in pursuing STEM majors remained strong.

• Improved Confidence in STEM Learning: Participants felt more capable of succeeding in STEM courses and showed increased resilience.

• Overall, the program effectively enhanced career awareness, teamwork skills, and confidence, reinforcing participants’ long-term success in STEM fields.