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The Boeing Company Grants $125k to Girls Inc. of Orange County
These funds will go towards providing young girls with the opportunity to learn more about STEM subjects and career options
COSTA MESA, Calif., (January 7, 2020) – Girls Inc. of Orange County, the Costa Mesa-based affiliate of the national non-profit whose mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold, has received a $125,000 grant from The Boeing Company, the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems, and service provider of aftermarket support. This grant was given to the organization to directly fund the BoldBots program which empowers young girls to pursue careers in the STEM field while gaining skills in communication, problem solving, teamwork and adaptability.
“The Girls Inc. team is beyond thankful to The Boeing Company for this generous partnership,” notes Lucy Santana, CEO of Girls Inc. of Orange County, who is celebrating her 20th anniversary with the organization this year. “We have observed that starting early and giving girls exposure to STEM fields is critical to getting more women in the STEM pipeline and into STEM careers. Thanks to The Boeing Company and the BoldBots Program, our girls will have the rare, hands-on opportunity to explore avenues in the STEM field, opening many doors for them down the road.”
The BoldBots program will make a huge impact in the community by serving 500 elementary, middle and high school girls throughout Orange County – an increase of 100 girls since 2018. The program is offered after school through the Newport Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD), the Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living, and the summer camps at local college campuses. The high school program will also be offered at Juvenile Hall, an alternative education institution for youth offenders. Girls Inc. of Orange County is the first to provide STEM education to the incarcerated youth at this facility.
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BoldBots students will gain exposure to the sciences, chemistry, engineering and technology fields by taking part in activities such as programming robots by using block code and script code, creating engineering prototypes, developing videos or games, building websites, engineering solutions for real-world sustainability problems, and much more. The participating girls will learn how to apply disciplines to solve real-world problems in addition to how technology is used in everyday life.
“I am so fortunate to have been involved with Girls Inc. from a young age and will be forever grateful for my experience in the STEM programs provided by the organization,” shares Vanessa L., Girls Inc. graduate and former participant of Girls Inc.’s STEM program. “Because of the knowledge I acquired in these programs, I am now a sophomore at Washington State University and the only Latino woman in my computer engineering program. This is why young girls should be exposed to STEM – there just aren’t enough women in the field.”
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More About Girls Inc. of Orange County
Established in 1954 as the Harbor Area Girls Club, Girls Inc. of Orange County has been a respected member of the non-profit community for 65 years. The mission of Girls Inc. is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. We put our mission into practice through the Girls Inc. experience that equips girls to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and grow into healthy, educated and independent adults. Girls Inc. of Orange County positively changes the lives of over 3,500 girls, ages 5 to 18, each year, by providing year-round holistic, compensatory, and intentional programming focusing on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math), financial literacy, entrepreneurship, sound body image, healthy relationships, and college and career readiness. To learn more, visit www.girlsinc-oc.org.
More about The Boeing Company
Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners, defense, space and security systems, and service provider of aftermarket support. As America’s biggest manufacturing exporter, the company supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing products and tailored services include commercial and military aircraft, satellites, weapons, electronic and defense systems, launch systems, advanced information and communication systems, and performance-based logistics and training. For more information, visit https://www.boeing.com
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