In honor of Women’s History Month, the Museum hosted its annual Mentorship Day Forum on Saturday, March 24, for teen girls and their families and friends. It was a day of connection and storytelling, aimed to empower and inspire girls to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
More than 100 students, parents and mentors attended the forum, including alumnae of GOALS for Girls—a Museum program that includes a six-week STEM course and internship opportunities for girls—and a group of English language learners. Keynote speaker Renee McClure-Mills of National Grid spoke passionately about her interest in STEM at an early age and the importance of entrepreneurship. “Be powerful and know you are not powerless,” she told them. After the talk, students participated in a fun tech activity incorporating Ozobots and sensors. GOALS interns then gave a presentation about water purification.
Students spent the rest of the afternoon in round-robin sessions with 28 diverse and enthusiastic mentors—all women who work in STEM fields. Students and their chaperones asked mentors about their professions, hobbies, views on education and more. As the forum came to a close, students shared what they learned, chatted with the GOALS interns and exchanged contact information with mentors, who were excited to continue sharing their experiences and advice.
This forum was part of GOALS for Girls, a year-round series of programs designed to empower girls to pursue STEM studies and careers. GOALS for Girls is funded by Arconic, the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the Velaj Foundation, BNY Mellon, the Pinkerton Foundation, Con Edison and the Craig Newmark Philanthropic Fund. |