This year Girlstart is celebrating 10 years of providing high-quality STEM programming to girls in North Texas! We’ve spent a decade empowering girls, nurturing their curiosity, and unleashing their limitless potential in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Since we expanded to North Texas in 2013, Girlstart has served more than 6,000 girls and their families —how amazing is that?!
Your gift of any size during NTX Giving Day will support and sustain Girlstart as we continue our After School programs in North Texas, which serve girls in 4th and 5th grades. During the 2023-2024 school year, we will be serving 16 schools in the Grand Prairie, Irving, Richardson, and Plano school districts. We are focused on reaching girls of diverse backgrounds, girls who live in low-income or non-urban environments, and/or who are considered at-risk. Thanks to donors like you, 100% of girls who participate in our After School programs in North Texas do so at no cost.
Women remain disproportionately under-represented in STEM careers, comprising 48% of the country’s total working population but just 27% of college-educated STEM workers. Disparities are even higher among women of color: minority women hold less than 10% of science and engineering jobs. Studies have shown that gender differences in attitudes and interest in science are present by the end of the elementary grades. These elementary years represent a crucial window not only for providing students with a solid foundation in STEM subjects, but also for cultivating an enthusiasm for STEM among girls. In order to bridge this gap, Girlstart's programs foster STEM skills development, an understanding of the importance of STEM as a way to solve the world's major problems, and an interest in STEM electives, majors, and careers.
Girlstart is improving the lives and opportunities of the girls we serve, strengthening the pipeline of STEM-literate students in Texas to be better prepared to take on the challenges of higher education and one day enter the workforce. With your help, we can reach even more girls and double our impact over the next 10 years!