Minuteman High School's Girls in STEM to host camp for middle-school girls in February 2016

By Judy Bass

Minuteman High School will host a Girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) camp in February 2016 that is free for seventh- and eighth-grade girls in the Minuteman school district, which includes the towns of Acton, Arlington, Belmont, Bolton, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Lincoln, Needham, Stow, Sudbury, Wayland, and Weston.

The STEM camp will be held at the school, located at 758 Marrett Road in Lexington, during the week of February 16-19, 2016 from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm each day.

Participants will be able to extend their knowledge through hands-on STEM activities led by Minuteman students certified in mentoring who are enrolled in STEM majors. The program will be facilitated by two Minuteman teachers - Becky Quay (Engineering) and Sarah Ard (Horticulture and Landscape Technology).

This initiative truly fills an important need. Although women represent nearly half of the entire workforce, they represent only a quarter of workers in STEM fields. The mission of Girls in STEM is to encourage young women to pursue their interest in science, technology, engineering, and math by mentoring them in those areas and providing a supportive learning environment.

The success of Girls in STEM at Minuteman has earned state and national recognition - a Grand Prize in the Student2Student Mentoring Program from SkillsUSA, a national organization for vocational students, and a Student Champions Award for Excellence from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC).

A link with information about the camp and registration will be available on the home page of Minuteman’s website, www.minuteman.org, during the first week of January 2016. Transportation will be provided for students in the Minuteman High School district. Applicants can contact Michelle Roche, Minuteman’s Director of Career and Technical Education, at 758 Marrett Road, Lexington MA 02421. She can be reached at 781-861-6500 x7326 or mroche@minuteman.org.

Minuteman is an award-winning regional high school that gives students a competitive advantage by delivering robust academics and powerful career and technical skills. This combination gives students a competitive edge in the new economy.

Minuteman prepares students for college and career success, with more than 60% of the school’s graduates typically pursuing a post-secondary education.