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2005-2006 Annual Report

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Outcomes-based evaluation results. Girls create largest origami sphere at Children's Museum. Dr. Connie Chow joins us as first Executive Director. Junior Assistant profile.
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Science literacy Sisterhood Self-confidence
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Page 1: 2005-2006 Annual Report

Science literacy Sisterhood Self-confidence

Page 2: 2005-2006 Annual Report
Page 3: 2005-2006 Annual Report

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

BOARD

FROM THE ED

Dear friends,

We are pleased to announce that 2005-2006 has beenScience Club for Girls’ most successful year to date. Wesaw the completion of an extensive outcomes-basedevaluation, the expansion of our summer outreach andclub programs to include six local community sites, thefounding of a club in a rural town in Ghana by one of thehigh school students from Science Club for Girls, and thecreation of a strategic plan to address the requests forclubs in communities in other parts of Massachusetts.

Two new staff members joined our leadership team thisyear. Mairead McSweeney-Shutt was chosen as ourProgram Manager from a large applicant pool for herinnovative community work and proven managementsuccess. A graduate of the Heller School for SocialPolicy and Management, Ms. McSweeney-Shutt haspropelled the organization forward to serve 440 studentslast year. She orchestrated our inclusion into theextended day programs at the King and Fletcher MaynardSchools while providing support during the board’sextensive search for our first Executive Director. We arevery thankful for her hard work and expertise.

In the spring we welcomed Dr. Connie Chow as our firstever Executive Director. We are very excited that Dr.Connie Chow has made a long-term commitment to leadScience Club for Girls. As a scientist with a Ph.D. invirology from Harvard University, a women's rights activistwho had represented Amnesty International USA on aGlobal Exchange delegation to Afghanistan, a teacherand researcher, Dr. Chow brings a wealth of experiencesand commitments to the clubs. Her passion for science,social justice and human rights will help Science Club forGirls further its mission and expand its capabilities.

The vision and competence of this new leadershipprovide the impetus to achieve goals neverimagined when SCFG was first created overtwelve years ago. We have set in motion a three-year plan that will broaden our constituency toparticipants we were unable to serve in the past,develop replication models that will allow clubs toexpand geographically as well as improve theleadership objectives of our programs. While wehave been apprehensive of this growth in the pastfor fear of diluting the effectiveness of SCFG, weare exceptionally confident to take on thechallenges due to the leadership we now have inplace.

We want to thank all the individuals andorganizations without whose support we would nothave been able to reach this stage of ourorganizational growth. We look forward to asustained partnership with old friends, and invitenew friends to become our allies. Whether as amentor in our clubs, a speaker at our events, or adonor, we welcome your support. In particular,please do not hesitate to contact us if you wouldlike to join us on the Board, or on an advisorycommittee. We look forward to working with youtogether.

Sincerely,

The Board of Directors

Page 4: 2005-2006 Annual Report

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

BOARD

FROM THE ED

OUR VISION

• To eliminate the gender and racial outcomes gaps in science andtechnology by increasing girls’ understanding of and engagement with thesciences.

• To cultivate a diverse pool of citizens and leaders who are familiar withscience as a tool and as a way of understanding the world.

• To create community-based ecosystems comprised of SCFG alumni,parents, as well as public and corporate sectors that offer support,mentoring and continuous encouragement to nurturegirls’ success.

OUR GOALS

• To expose girls to a wide range of hands-on scienceand engineering activities.

• To increase the number of girls who are successful inscience classes in middle and high school.

• To create an environment where it is assumed that ourgirls will go to college.

• To increase leadership and internship opportunities for girls and women inscience.

• To dispel the myths of gender and racial underachievement in math andscience by educating the community about the barriers that girls andwomen face.

The Science Club for Girls keep girls engaged, confident and successful in science from

kindergarten through college. We are especially committed to the participation and success of girls

who will be the first in their families to attend college and who are from ethnic and racial groups that

are underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Page 5: 2005-2006 Annual Report

3

Race/Ethnicity of Girls Enrolled

African American47%

Asian American10%

Caucasian25% Latina/Hispanic

15%

Other3%

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

OVERVIEW

Science Club for Girls provides a palette ofprograms that caters to the needs and interests of

girls along their continuum ofdevelopment. The K-7th

grade science clubscaptures the interestof girls at a youngage by exposingthem to the magic of sciencein a collaborative learningenvironment. They alsoincrease the understanding

and enjoyment of the sciencesby young girls, and inspire and

increase the confidence of ourparticipants to “do science”.

The Junior Assistants-in-Training program for 7th grade girlsprovides early teens with greater responsibility and a smallstipend, at an age when their interest in science tends towane. Our Junior Assistant program is critical in keepinghigh school girls engaged in science-oriented activities whileproviding the younger girls much needed near-peer mentorsand role models. Interactions between young girls, teenmentors and adult mentor-scientists create a sisterhood thatinspires confidence, learning and achievement.

PARTICIPANTS

Science Club for Girls is committed to the engagement of girlsbelonging to groups that are underrepresented in science andtechnology. 75% of our participants are from ethnic or racialminority groups. Between 63-88% of the students at three ofthe schools where we hold After School Clubs are eligible forthe reduced price or free lunch program, an indicator of poverty.Survey results of our older girls suggest that 40% of theirparents have not attended college.

“Science Club for Girls is a great place for young girls to learn about science in fun,

engaging, hands on activities together...That’s what makes little girls want to go home

and tell their parents how much they love SCFG. We have had girls come up to us

and say how much fun they had and how much they couldn’t wait for the class…[This]

encourages us to put [in] more than 100% during Science Club for Girls.”

-Observation by two 8th grade Junior Assistants working with 3rd graders

Page 6: 2005-2006 Annual Report

4

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

K-7TH

GRADES

After School Clubs remain our largest program. In 2005-06,more than 300 girls participated in 27 clubs at five differentCambridge public schools and one community church inNewton. Additionally, girls from several towns outside ofCambridge and Newton are also enrolled in our clubs.Mentor-scientists devoted over 2,000 hours to deliver morethan 350 hands-on activities. Over 60 participants attendedthe Science Fair at the King School alone!

For eight weeks each fall and spring, girls spend an houreach week in a group of six to ten, engaged in hands-onactivities led by knowledgeable women scientists. Thesementor-scientists create an encouraging atmosphere wheregirls can experience the process of scientificinquiry—observing through their own senses or tools,learning by trial and error—and where asking questions andseeking answers are valued and promoted.

At the end of the school year, participants at each site inviteparents, teachers and friends to their annual Science Fair,where they share activities, journals and posters, as well astheir excitement and learning.

Junior Assistants-in-Training (JAIT) is a transitional programfor 7

th grade students designed to address middle school

girls’ diminished interest in science and resultant attrition. Inaddition to attending Science Clubs, JAITs help withpreparation and clean-up, and receive a small stipend inreturn. Last year, twelve girls participated in the program.Nearly 70% of 6

th and 7

th graders returned as JAs-in-Training

and Junior Assistants, respectively.

8-12th

Grades

The Junior Assistant Program is our second largest program.JAs work in the After School Clubs alongside our volunteer-mentors as teaching assistants and contribute feedback toimprove our curriculum. As such, the program providesemployment training, as JAs receive a small stipend for theircontribution. Additionally, JAs attended weekly leadership

workshops, led by a youth development specialist. JAs arealso find our about college preparation and college life, andhear first-hand about the achievements and life paths ofprominent women scientists in the greater Boston area. Atotal of 52 girls in 8-12

th graders participated in the Junior

Assistant program last year.

JAs may also join the RocketTeam. Typically, these youngwomen meet on Saturdays onthe MIT campus to design andbuild rockets that are thenentered into the Team AmericaRocketry Challenge. Sevenyoung women joined the RocketTeam last year.

The Media Team produces ournewsletters, assists in maintaining our website, by writingstories on clubs, volunteers and field trips. The eight highschool girls who participated last year also added threeprofiles to the Women of Power series, our oral history projectthat began in 2003 under Rachael Adriko.

In conjunction with the City of Cambridge Mayor’s SummerYouth Employment Program and the 21

st Century Community

Learning Collaborative Grant, we trained eleven JuniorAssistants in science, leadership and job skills through ourSummer Program. Together the JAs delivered scienceactivities to 69 children in K-5

th grades enrolled in various

summer camps and community centers in Cambridge. TheseJunior Assistants created the world’s largest origami sphere,and taught over 200 visitors to the Boston Children’s Museumhow to create various origami forms.

We are in the early stages of arranging additional internshipopportunities for our high school girls. Last year, through ourcorporate partnerships, two of our girls participated in STEM-related summer internships at Genzyme and Draper Labs.SCFG staff helped our girls prepare resumes and applicationletters, and with mock interviews.

Page 7: 2005-2006 Annual Report

5

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

IMPROVING ATTITUDE AND CONFIDENCE

The ultimate focus of Science Club for Girls programs andresources is the engagement of our participants in science asa way to prepare them for college, and to give them theconfidence and skills to attain their potential.

SCFG has a positive impact on the attitude of girls towardsscience, as well as their confidence in and understanding ofscience. Additionally, our girls are not limited by genderstereotypes about women in science, and make long-termplans about their education. The table below summarizes thesurvey responses of 6-12th grade girls who have participatedin our programs.

SURVEY OF SCFG 6th–12th GRADE PARTICIPANTS

Attitude

SCFG had a positive effect on my attitudetowards science

83%

SCFG helped me realize that science can be fun 85%

Science is helpful in understanding the world 92%

ConfidenceSCFG helped me be more confident performingexperiments or using scientific tools

71%

My understanding of science concepts is betterbecause of SCFG involvement

79%

Gender stereotypeI am not intimidated by boys in science class 85%

Women can be as good in science as men 98%

Academic plansI plan to take honors courses

I plan to go to college

48%

97%

These results are borne out by our OUTCOMES-BASEDEVALUATION comparing the response of our 6th-9th gradeSCFG participants to their peers who are not in our program.

1. SCFG members scored higher on science attitude surveysthan their non-SCFG counterparts suggesting that SCFGmembers have more positive attitudes towards sciencethan their non-SCFG counterparts.

2. SCFG members had greater confidence in their abilities asstudents, particularly as science students.

3. A greater percentage of SCFG members said they desiredcareers in science, technology, engineering and/ormathematics than their non-SCFG counterparts.

4. A greater percentage of SCFG members said they plannedto attend college compared to their non-SCFGcounterparts, even after taking into account the percentageof girls whose parents went to college.

Research has suggested that girls’interest and confidence in sciencedecrease during high school. Alongitudinal study of SCFG membersin their freshman and senior yearindicates that this is not the case withthem. Our participants did notexperience diminished confidence asscience students, nor did they losetheir interest in careers in STEM.They continued to attribute SCFG assignificant in improving their attitudestowards science.

In addition to improving science related outcomes, our JuniorAssistant program imparts high school girls with specific skills.100% of JAs and JAITs say they have learned at least oneleadership skill, such as conflict resolution, communication,collaboration, time management, responsibility, mentoring etc. 85.4% learned to manage time better 79.2% learned to be more responsible 81.3% learned to be a mentor to younger kids 87.5% are better able to work with peers

Page 8: 2005-2006 Annual Report

6

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

100% COLLEGE ATTENDANCE

All four of the seniors who have been with the Science Clubfor Girls for their entire high school (and one for the entire 12years) will be attending 4-year colleges. These girls havebeen Junior Assistants,Rocket Team members,and pillars of the MediaTeam. Most importantly,they have served aswonderful role modelsfor the younger girls inthe program.

They will be attending Hope College, Smith College,Spelman College and Green Mountain College. Because ofthe encouragement of a board member, one of the JAsapplied for and received a four-year scholarship.

WORLD’S LARGEST ORIGAMI SPHERE

In addition to field testing new curriculum, our summer JAslearned about origami and geometry. This project required

initiative, planning andcollaboration, as wellas technical skills.Under the guidance ofDr. Kenneth Fan, theycreated a sphere, twofeet in diameter andconsisting of 212pieces, that did

not rely on tape or glue. This sphere was displayedat the Boston Children’s Museum for over sixmonths!

This project illustrated several of our strengths: areputation that draws first-class mentors like Dr. Fanand Col. Young (retired) of the Rocket Team to us,adaptable and responsive programming, andpartnerships that benefit the larger community.

POSITIVE OUTCOMES

As a more rigorous measure of whether we are meeting ourgoals, Science Club for Girls completed its first outcomes-based evaluation report in May 2006. This reportspecifically looked at the confidence and attitude of ourmiddle school and high school girls. The evaluation wasadministered as a survey and compared the response ofour 6th-9th grade SCFG participants to their peers. It alsocompared the responses of a group of girls at 9th and 12th

grades.

Girls who participate in our programs have higher confidence in themselves as science

students have a more positive attitude towards science are more likely to select a career in STEM have a greater desire to attend college retain their interest in science over the critical period of

high school

The origami disco ball project was definitely a memorableexperience for me. I thought the girls did such a great job.They really took control of the project at the museum and Icould just sit back and watch this disco ball rise out of thinair...very gratifying!

~Dr. Kenneth Fan

Page 9: 2005-2006 Annual Report

7

Student Enrollment since 2000

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Fiscal Year End

(Projected)

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

ENROLLMENT

The number of girls who benefit from our programs continuesto increase. Since 2004, we have experienced an averagegrowth rate of 30%. In ’04-’05, we served 327 students, andin ’05-’06, 445 children and youth benefited from our clubs.Our summer program saw a 100% increase in enrollment inthe last year. This growth is due to our reputation, resultingin increased enrollment at our present sites and madepossible by increasing the number of partners (see nextpage).

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

The Science Club for Girls reached a milestone in itsorganizational development this year. In partial fulfillment ofthe strategic plan to expand the impact of its programs inthe upcoming years, the board undertook an extensivesearch process and successfully hired the first ExecutiveDirector in April.

The Executive Director is charged with developingrelationships with schools and community centers attendedby girls who are most in need of the activities andmentorship that we provide, in Cambridge, the greaterBoston area, and the northeast region. She is alsoexpected to work with national organizations of women inscience and engineering, and discover other avenueswhereby we might use existing structures to extend thereach of our programs, at the same time raising SCFG’sprofile locally and nationally.

AT A GLANCE

Children served 445

Mentor-scientists involved 82

Volunteer hours donated 2,200

Hands-on activities delivered >400

JAs who have gone on to college 100%

Page 10: 2005-2006 Annual Report

8

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

IN THE COMMUNITY

By considering how the needs of children can be best met bythe community, as a community, creative partnershipsbetween SCFG and other youth-serving agencies emerged.In the summer of 2005-2006, SCFG expanded its programsin Cambridge beyond school sites to include the Frisoli YouthCenter, the Cambridge Community Center and the WindsorStreet Clubhouse of the Boys and Girls Club of MiddlesexCounty. The latter two centers serve youth in Area IV, themost needy area in Cambridge. These collaborations werefacilitated by the Cambridge 21st Century Community (CCLC)Partnership Grant.

Our summer five-week program was embedded in thesecenters’ summer camp curriculum. Nearly 80 girls and boysfrom kindergarten to 5th grade experienced the joys ofdiscovery and learnt about the world around them. Theseweekly hands-on science activities greatly enriched theirsummer camp experience.

Indeed, the ’05 summer program attracted over 30 younggirls to join the After School Science Clubs at our schoolsites during the ’05-’06 academic year. These partnershipsease the registration process and paperwork for parents andreduce barriers to enrollment in our program. Moreover, theproximity of the Windsor Street Clubhouse and FletcherMaynard Academy, as well asthe Frisoli Youth Center andthe King Open School enablethese girls to walk between thetwo locations.

By being true to the principle ofproviding science activities atlocations where children haveready access when weextended our programs, we are now able to provide muchneeded science enrichment services to new populations ofstudents, in conjunction with their out-of-school programs.

2005-06 PARTNERS

Cambridgepublic

schools

Amigos

Cambridgeport

Fletcher Maynard Academy

King

King Open

Rindge and Latin

Church Myrtle Baptist Church (Newton)

Communitycenters

Boys and Girls Club, Windsor

Street Clubhouse

Cambridge Community Center

Frisoli Youth Center

Summercamps

King Open Summer Splash Camp

King Summer Camp

Fletcher Maynard Summer Camp

Cambridge Community Center

Page 11: 2005-2006 Annual Report

9

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Pro

po

rtio

n

2004 2005 2006 2007

(projected)

Fiscal Year End

Income Distribution

Government Individuals Fundraisers Corporate

Foundation United Way Reserves

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED FOCUS ON PROGRAMMINGScience Club for Girls has maintained a fiscally responsibleexpense history. By utilizing in-kind donations andmaximizing volunteer contributions, SCFG has consistentlyoffered high-quality programs with low operating expenses.

FY03-04 FY 04-05 FY 05-06 FY 06-07(Projected)

REVENUE 89,100 99,950 155,300 240,000

EXPENSE 72,500 87,300 125,000 222,000

IN-KIND 68,500 72,600 76,900 96,500

NET

ASSET

16,600 12,650 30,300 18,000

2005-06 Expense Distribution

Administration16%

Fundraising5%

Program79%

DIVERSE INCOME STREAM

SCFG has continued to diversify its income sources toinclude support from the corporate community andpartnerships with government agencies. As a next step,SCFG will develop funding campaigns targeting individualdonors, and unique fundraising events that will increaseits visibility within the community. These parallelstrategies will allow SCFG to maintain its sustainabilityand viability.

Page 12: 2005-2006 Annual Report

10

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

CORPORATE AND CORPORATE FOUNDATIONS

Gold Level ($10,000+)Biogen Idec

Genzyme

Silver Level ($5,000-$9,999)Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner

Omega Natural Sciences

Millipore FoundationNovartis

Pfizer

RaytheonVerizon

Bronze Level ($1,000-$4,999)Draper LabsIBM

FOUNDATIONS

Boston Women’s Fund

Cambridge Community FoundationCaswell Foundation

Corners Fund/ Combined Jewish Philanthropies

MIT Community Service Fund

United Way of Massachusetts Bay: Today’s GirlsTomorrow’s Leaders

GOVERNMENT

21st Century Community Learning Collaborative

City of Cambridge Mayor’s Summer Youth and

Learning Project

NASA/Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONSBingham McCutcheon Cambridge Public Schools Myrtle Baptist ChurchFriendly’s Pizza Whole Foods PlanetTran

Many thanks to our mentor-scientists, who hail from Boston University, Harvard University, Lesley

College, MIT, Northeastern University, Tufts University, Wellesley College; Addgene, DraperLabs, IBM, MPI, and Pfizer.

We especially want to thank Katja Lamia who coordinated our Leadership Workshop. Javit Drake(Gillette), Cathy Clemens and Raju Patel (Harvard Center for Astrophysics and MIT), Lori Scogin

(KoolSmiles), Mirela Delibegovic (Harvard Medical School), Paula Johnson (Brigham and Women’s

Hospital), Jan Gardner (Boston Globe), and Jodi Digregorio (TERI College Access) who spoke at these

workshops. Thanks to Kenneth Fan who inspired our girls with the origami project.

You have all enriched the lives of these girls, and we owe our success to you!

Science Club for Girls is grateful for the individuals and organizations who believe in our work and

support us financially and otherwise!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR INDIVIDUAL DONORS!

Page 13: 2005-2006 Annual Report

11

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Uche Amaechi (Treasurer), a graduate of Harvard College

(BA) and University of Phoenix (MBA), is the director of the

Fletcher Maynard Extended Day after school program at the

Fletcher Maynard Academy. He also founded the Science

Club for Girls site at that school. His extensive experience

with at-risk children includes work with the Summerbridge

program and the Phillips Brooks House. He joined the Board

in 2003.

Shirby Best (Board Chair) is a King School parent and

former alternate chairperson for the Parent Council. She has

been a Patriot Girl Scout Leader since 1998. Ms. Best is a

juvenile criminal justice and social service professional for the

City of Cambridge. She has been on the Board since 1999.

Rosalyn Pierce Britt is a medical software specialist at

MEDITECH in Framingham, MA. She is the founder and

coordinator for the Science Club for Girls at the Myrtle Baptist

Church in Newton, MA, where she is a member. She joined

the Board in 2003.

Bruno D. Marino, Ph.D. is the CEO of Axonix Technologies,

Inc., in Cambridge, MA. He joined the Board in 2000.

Mary McGowan (Secretary) is a former King Open School

parent and co-founder of The Science Clubs for Girls. She is

a librarian at the Mugar Memorial Library at Boston

University, and Program Coordinator of MassBLAST, an

internship curriculum for high school students at Simmons

College Library. She has been on the Science Club Board

since 1994.

Beth O’Sullivan, an alumna of the Mathematics Department

at MIT, is a former King Open School parent and co-founder

of the Science Club for Girls. Beth is also the founder of The

Mathemagics Workshop and a published novelist. She has

been on the Board since 1994.

Alex Reveliotty is an operations and business development

professional and entrepreneur. He currently operates the

Anvil Group, a home furnishings company and Ludway

Design and Production, Inc. He was an adult mentor with the

FIRST Robotics competition in 2004 and was on the planning

committee for FIRST 2005 Regional Competition in Boston.

He joined the Board in 2006.

Page 14: 2005-2006 Annual Report

12

FROM THE BOARD

MISSION

PROGRAMS

IMPACT

ACHIEVEMENTS

PARTNERSHIPS

FINANCE

SPONSORS

OUR BOARD

FROM THE ED

Dear Friends of the Science Club for Girls,

I am honored and thrilled to have joined this wonderful

organization as its first Executive Director. I stand on a solid

foundation that has been built with great dedication, clarity of

purpose and much hard work. This foundation is comprised

of a committed board of directors, a unique program that

weaves together various threads that have been

demonstrated to be important for educational attainment in

science and for the success of girls, an effective staff, as well

as allies and friends who provide much needed advice and

support.

Science Club for Girls is a place where my love of science

and my passion for social justice has found equal expression.

As a female scientist and a teacher, I have first hand

knowledge, from both sides, the critical role that mentors can

play in inspiring achievement. That Science Club for Girls

incorporates this component as a central principle of its

programs speaks to its strength and values. Having been

educated in all-girls’ elementary and secondary schools, I am

a firm believer in the value of single-sex learning

environments in fostering confidence and leadership in girls

and women.

This is an exciting time to join the Science Club for Girls. We

are laying the foundation to bring the joys of science and

engineering to girls in other parts of Massachusetts in the

next few years. Here in Cambridge, we will take full

advantage of the resources in our backyards, working with

our partners to increase research and internship opportunities

at academic, corporate and other institutions for high school

girls. Over time, we anticipate that our participants will be

winners of state science fairs, and competitions such as the

Intel Science Talent Search and Siemens Competition.

Moreover, SCFG will create opportunities where girls’ schools

and communities become laboratories and field sites in which

the girls will engage in observations and experimentation, as

well as applied research to solve problems that the

community or the girls themselves have identified.

At the end of the day, I believe the success of the program

lies in our effectiveness in creating engaged citizen-scientists

who understand and are comfortable with using the methods

of science and tools of technology in our knowledge-based

society. I look forward to making common cause with an

increasing number of individuals, communities and

organizations in overcoming the outcomes gap in science for

girls and other underrepresented groups.

Thank you for your support in the past. I invite you to join me

as we move forward to open doors to further girls’

achievements in science, and in society.

Humbly,Connie ChowExecutive Director

Page 15: 2005-2006 Annual Report

Junior Assistant Profile

Ashlee, a highly motivated young women, has been engaged in Science Club for Girls (SCFG) from her

8th grade year until she graduated from high school last spring. In her junior year, Ashlee was chosen by

Genzyme to be an intern in their Environmental Affairs Department. She is currently a freshman at Green

Mountain College in Vermont, where its environmental core curriculum is especially suited to her strong

interest in environmental studies. An active and enthusiastic participant in Science Club for Girls’ leadership

workshops, Ashlee has attended Science Club for Girls’ board and hiring meetings.

Ashlee is an energetic leader who motivate others to succeed, skills that made her especially successful

in Science Club for Girls. As a peer leader she taught science to 1st-7th grade girls with women scientist

mentors. Perceiving Ashlee’s passion for mathematics and her excellent communication skills, an SCFG board

member invited Ashlee to teach in the Mathemagics Workshop, math enrichment classes for

children in grades one to eight. “Ashlee was extremely successful as a mentor to the young

children,” the board member said.

Not only is Ashlee a wonderful mentor, she is also a leader of her peers. Ashlee was captain of

the all-girl rocket team, led by Col. Peter Young (retired), a member of the Aeronautics and

Astronautics Department at MIT. As captain of this team, she designed and built two-stage rockets

that were entered into the Team American Rocketry Challenge. As one of the principal designers of

“Light it Up”, an interactive fiber optics exhibit at the Discovery Museum, Ashlee again proved her

ability to work on a team while maintaining a strong leadership.

Women of Power, a book published by Science Club for Girls’ Media Team, was successful in

part because of Ashlee’s membership and her participation as an interviewer of such outstanding

women as Gail Snowden, vice president of the Boston Foundation, Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff, former vice

president for Research and COO of the Whitehead Institute, the eminent biochemist Dr. Lynda Jordan, and

Judy Ozbun, Associate Director of Community Affairs at Genzyme Corporation, who has acted as a personal

mentor to Ashlee.

Ashlee has always loved biology and has expressed a desire to pursue a career in medicine. As she told

us, “I want to become a pediatrician because I love children and I want to make sure that children are taken

care of emotionally and physically.” We at the Science Club who have seen Ashlee blossom are curious about

how she will ultimately choose to apply her talents. However, we have no doubt that she will be successful

and inspiring, no matter which path she picks.

Page 16: 2005-2006 Annual Report

Science Club for Girls is a 501(c)3 registered non-profit organization.

CONTACTConnie ChowExecutive [email protected]

Mairead McSweeney-ShuttProgram [email protected]

P.O. Box 390544 Cambridge, MA 02139


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