STEMPoderate!

 

Written by Ana Sofía Santamaría-10th Grade Student

As ABC students, we foresee that our futures will be bright as reflected by our context and the educational opportunities we regularly receive. Most of us are confident that we will become excellent doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. However, not all the youth in El Salvador have these certainties, but most dream of becoming a professional. 

At our school, all girls know that they can pursue any interest they desire; yet, outside our community, not all girls believe they can do so. Due to this, in El Salvador, less than one-third of graduates in STEM are female. This saddening statistic led me to design a project to empower girls from low-income institutions by exposing them to the different branches and possibilities within STEM. 

For this week's meeting, Mrs. Garcia and Mrs. Serrano were the guest speakers who introduced the girls to robotics and technology. All the girls in the project have big aspirations, and many are interested in technology, medicine, and engineering, but often, what they perceive as limitations don't let them believe this is possible. The project aims to accompany the girls throughout their academic year, introducing them to the various possibilities in STEM, and aiming to empower them to apply for scholarships and seek out other opportunities to pursue their goals.