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Science Literacy ~ Sisterhood ~ Self-Confidence
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Winter Newsletter
December 2007
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Dear friends,
I hope you are well. Fall is a season of
change, and we have seen
many positive ones this year. To familiarize
our girls with the contributions of women in
science, each K-7th grade club is named after
one. Our Semi-Annual Community Event took on
a new format--a solo performance. We've also
added field trips and
overnights.
We began pilot Science Clubs in Boston,
Framingham and Lawrence, while maintaining
strong enrollment at our Cambridge school sites.
Many thanks to our volunteers, parents,
partner schools and other institutions for
their support! SCFG is lucky to have staff
at all
sites who are dedicated to our mission, and
work hard to realize it. Getting girls
excited about
science is truly a community effort!
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Program Highlights
What have our Rachel Carson Explorers,
Shirley Ann Jackson Physicists, Barbara
McClintock Researchers etc been up to? Well,
they've built whirligigs and flashlights,
created "Morse code" jewellery, become versed
in insect communication, explored the
formation of rainbows and presented Magic
Shows at the end-of-semester science fairs.
Additional programming
connected our girls with each other, and
with the vibrant scientific institutions in
the area. Mae Jemison Engineers (fifth grade
girls) from our Cambridge schools, and girls
from our Newton site at Myrtle Baptist Church
went on a Museum of Science overnight trip
together. Sisterhood strengthened.
Our Junior Assistants learnt about careers in
science and engineering, and cutting edge
research through career panels and field
trips to various
companies and research institutions this fall.
Download the Media Team Newsletter for more
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Science for the Family
The next Science Club for Girls session is
far away at the end of February. We
recommend the following FREE
activities in the mean time to satisfy the
curious and young at heart ! Also
check our website
for experiments to try at home!
Squishy,
Gooey, Stretchy: The Science of Making Pizza
A Holiday Lecture for Children and Their
Parents
Date: THIS Saturday, December 15th
Times: 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m.
Location: Harvard University Science Center,
Lecture Hall B
Follow
this link to find out more information
and register. Tickets are in high demand, so
don't delay!
Science
on Saturday at Lincoln Labs
We have insider news that the next event will
be on Feb. 2, with several fun math
demos
followed by a presentation on how math is
used in real-world applications and careers.
Check their website for updates and to
register. Lincoln Labs is located in
Lexington, and is accessible by public
transportation.
AAAS Family Science Days
The American Association for the Advancement
of Science's Annual Meeting is in Boston this
year. Family Science Days will be held on
Saturday & Sunday, Feb. 16-17 from
11 am to 5 pm at the Hynes Convention
Center. There will be shows and demos and
promises to be a wonderful event! Look out
for Science Club for Girls!
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Shout Outs
Kudos to friends and volunteers
Congratulations to SCFG mentor-scientist
Melis Anahtar for winning a Rhodes
Scholarship!
More
Congratulations to Biogen
Idec Community Lab, which celebrated its
5th anniversary in October! We're grateful to
the leadership at Biogen and City of
Cambridge for having the vision to create
this wonderful community resource, and to Tracy
Callahan for developing a set of
authentic learning experiences and programs
to benefit our girls and other youth in the area!
Congratulations to our partner and supporter
Cynthia Brossman for being recognized with
the Maria Mitchell Women
in Science Award this year!
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Sowing the Seeds of Science
Pilot programs around the state
"I would actually like science if they taught
it like this in school," remarked a 6th grade
participant at our Lawrence site on
the first day when the group was introduced to a
forensics curriculum. More
"...your program for our girls is exceptional
and would benefit them immensely", said
Geraldine David, Manager of Extended Learning
Services at the Maurice J. Tobin School in
Mission Hill, Boston. More
"Our inaugural meeting of SCFG...was tons of
fun," said Tamara Clark, volunteer leader at
the Greater Framingham Community
Church. "The girls were very excited, and
really enjoyed making their "secret code"
necklaces". More
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Stretch your Giving Muscles
Sponsorship is just as important as
mentorship in promoting gender and racial
equity in science. We invite you to
contribute to Science Club for Girls'
programs in various ways. Why not give a
gift on behalf of an aunt, cousin, sister,
grandmother or friend who
would have loved to have participated in a
program like ours? It's
easy to make a secure online
donation. Recurring donations of $15 a
month will provide consumable materials for
one club of 8-10 girls for a semester.
Alternatively, persuade your department,
company or club to designate Science Club for
Girls as the holiday or special occasion
charity. Do you really need another white
elephant gift or birthday present? =-)
More
If you are gift shopping, consider making
your purchase through the Giveline
Store, or consult our Wish
List on Amazon.com for ideas!
Our girls will be grateful for your generosity!
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SCFG in the News
Our Newton site fall kick-off event was
featured in a Daily
News Tribune article.
Our co-founder, executive director and an
alumnae were interviewed in a Boston Globe
article. A photograph of girls from
Cambridgeport accompanied the original article.
Full story
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I wish you a joyful and peaceful holiday
season! In the new year, I hope you and your
family have many occasions to
experience the sense of wonder together.
Sincerely,
Connie Chow
Science Club for Girls
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