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THE COALITION CONNECTION
March 20, 2015
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Dear NCGS Community,
With the days getting longer and today being the official start of spring, the NCGS team can't help but look ahead with excitement to the summer. June 22-24, we will bring together our member schools, mission-aligned strategic partners, and a myriad of guests at St. Catherine's School in Richmond, Virginia, for the 2015 NCGS Conference, From STEM to STEAM: Girls' Schools Leading the Way.
The 2015 NCGS Conference will provide educators with an innovative opportunity to engage in hands-on activities, participate in content-based discussions, share classroom materials, learn about web-based resources, and exchange best practices for teaching girls.
Girls' schools lead the way in graduating women who become our nation's scientists, doctors, engineers, designers, and inventors. Research shows that girls' school graduates are six times more likely to consider majoring in math, science, and technology and three times more likely to consider engineering careers compared to girls who attend coed schools. Nevertheless, women continue to be vastly underrepresented in STEM careers. For this reason, the 2015 NCGS Conference will also serve as a forum for educators to further examine why so many girls choose not to pursue careers in STEM-related fields and, even more important, how we can empower girls to shift this paradigm.
Early bird registration is open through April 1! Click here to register today.
We encourage you to check out the latest Conference information and details now available online:
In addition to this programming, there will be plenty of opportunities during the Conference to actively engage with technology:
- Visit our Technology Playground/Hackerspace -- a place where you can explore the maker movement, do some tinkering of your own, and bring back hands-on project ideas that will inspire your students to become creators -- rather than just consumers -- of technology.
- Make something new in the Capital One-sponsored mobile BetaBox prototyping lab.
- Attend the Google-sponsored "CS for All" Pre-Conference Workshop and learn how to code.
We look forward with anticipation to hosting our Conference -- the "go-to" place on girls' education -- that offers our member schools the opportunity to showcase their signature programs as well as connect with fellow educators and experts.
See you this summer!
Best wishes,
Megan Murphy
Executive Director
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NCGS and CIEE Global Summer Abroad Program for Students
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NCGS and CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) are offering high school students and faculty at NCGS member schools a life-changing opportunity to travel and learn abroad. A three-week pilot program will take place this summer from July 10 - August 1, 2015, in Costa Rica and will focus on three main topics in STEM: conversation, biology/biodiversity, and sustainability.
CIEE is generously offering $50,000 in student scholarships and $7,500 in funding to cover the faculty leaders' in-country costs to support this exciting initiative. In an effort to promote collaboration within and among different school communities, the funds will be distributed to five NCGS member schools -- five students and one faculty member from each.
Deadline to apply is May 1. To learn more, click here to download a flyer or visit ciee.org/ncgs.
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Harpeth Hall to Host STEM Think Tank and Conference
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 Harpeth Hall's Center for STEM Education for Girls is hosting its annual STEM Think Tank and Conference in Nashville from July 8-10, 2015. The theme for this year is Do the Work. Roadmap to STEM Success.
Areas of focus for the 2015 Think Tank and Conference are the following:
- Partnerships for Change -- Partnerships between and among K-12, industry, informal, university, counselors, parents, private, public, etc. What are these effective partnerships and how can they be replicated?
- STEM+ -- Connections with STEM and all disciplines, including art, foreign language, English/language arts, history, computer science, etc. in both formal and informal learning.
- Transitions -- How do we help girls and young women as they transition in life, such as from K-12 to university or university to industry/academia?
The Think Tank and Conference will bring together national leaders in K12 education for girls and young women (independent, public, charter, and parochial), university K-12 outreach coordinators and researchers, STEM university faculty, girls' informal educators, and members of industry.
Click here for more information and to register.
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Google Science Fair Accepting Student Submissions
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For the last four years, the Google Science Fair has asked students to use their curiosity to change the world. These young scientists have continually surpassed expectations by finding ways to protect against the flu, teaching  computers to detect breast cancer, and using bacteria to help fight hunger.
In partnership with National Geographic, LEGO Education, Scientific American, and Virgin Galactic, the fifth annual Google Science Fair is now open for projects until May 18. Students aged 13-18 around the world are being asked one question: What will you try?
As an educator, there are many ways to get your students involved:
- Get the creative juices flowing. Sometimes, the hardest part is choosing a project! Have students spend time on the Idea Springboard to take their passions and turn them into experiments.
- Get inspired by other scientists. Check out Google's YouTube channel to see Hangouts of past finalists and scientists exploring various topics.
- Create a Science Fair lesson in your classroom. Implement one of these lesson plans or worksheets into your curriculum to help inspire students.
Share this link with your students to learn more and submit a project by May 18.
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Lake Washington Girls Middle School to Host Startup Weekend
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Lake Washington Girls Middle School is hosting Startup Weekend GIRLS in Seattle, May 15-17, 2015. This event is specially designed for the next generation's entrepreneurs-in-the-making, 5th-10th grade girls.
A team of highly innovative and connected mentors and judges will create an atmosphere of exercises and experiences that will teach girls how to come up with business ideas, conduct market research, prototype, work in teams, and "pitch" their ideas to a room full of people. The event goal is to give girls the confidence to innovate and create, which they will need to succeed in all aspects of life.
Startup Weekend is a global grassroots movement of active and empowered entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. It is the largest community of passionate entrepreneurs with over 1,800 past events in 120 countries around the world last year.
Startup Weekend GIRLS is limited to only 35 spots. Registration is now open. Share this link with your students for more information and to register today.
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