jama/amc program sparks girlsl - Michigan Manufacturers Association

JAMA/AMC Program spa
Photo Courtesy of JAMA/AMC
Joe Lienhart of the Jackson Area Career Center.
Girl
Power
sparks girls’ interest in manufacturing careers
By Linda
hass
Manufacturing
| Girl M-Powered
Second- and third-graders experiment with making water filters.
L
auren Greenman, a reserved and
thoughtful 9-year-old, never felt
all that inspired about technology
– until she learned how to weld metal at
an all-girls camp this spring. Suddenly,
something sparked.
“I got to do the same things my uncles
do – I used a torch to make things out of
metal,” said the third-grader from Keicher
Elementary School, Michigan Center.
“Science is more fun than I thought!”
Lauren was among 42 elementary school
students who attended Girl M-Powered,
a program designed to develop young
girls’ confidence and skills in science,
technology, engineering and math
(STEM) at the Jackson Area Career
Center in April.
“The program opened Lauren’s eyes
to how things are made. She’s taking a
second look at everything. She’s even
examined her bike to see how it’s welded!”
said her mother, Jamie St. Germain,
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adding that Lauren proudly displays her
welding handiwork, a clothes hook and
T-shaped paper weight, in their Michigan
Center home.
Building interest
Girl M-Powered is the brainchild of
Deborah Fry, Youth Program Coordinator
for the Jackson Area Manufacturers
Association’s Academy for Manufacturing
Careers (AMC). A member of The
Enterprise Group of Jackson Inc., JAMA
leveraged several sponsors and supporters
to develop the all-girls program in
response to the growing need for women
in STEM fields.
“Women are significantly underrepresented in STEM careers,” said Fry.
“Part of the reason is that young girls have
fewer role models and less exposure to
STEM activities and projects than their
male counterparts.”
Girl M-Powered is designed to counteract
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Photo Courtesy of JAMA/AMC
that by sparking girls’ interest in STEM
career pathways at various stages along
the educational timeline, beginning with
elementary school students. This year’s
spring camp for kindergarten through
sixth grade girls kicked off the campaign
by introducing STEM concepts through
fun, hands-on activities. It included field
trips to American Tooling Center in Grass
Lake, where girls saw the machining
process in action; and the Toy House and
Baby Too, 400 N. Mechanic, where they
conducted experiments in magnetism and
more.
Passing the torch
Girls in grades 6-8 can attend a
manufacturing camp called “Project
Rosie” offered through the Shop Rat
Foundation. At the camp, they not only
learn about the machining process – they
get to roll up their sleeves and experience
it. This year’s camp, at the Career Center
in June, focused on the medical industry
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Manufacturing
| Girl M-Powered
Summer programs
Girl M-Powered offers several programs this summer that focus on STEM skills
for elementary school girls, including an overnight camp at Camp McGregor,
Crispell Lake, for grades 2-6 July 28-August 1, and a day camp for kindergarten
through sixth grade at the Jackson Area Career Center. JAMA also plans to offer
“STEM Saturdays,” one-day events, at different locations throughout Jackson
this fall. For more information, contact Deborah Fry, JAMA’s Youth Program
Coordinator, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 517-782-8268.
Photo Courtesy of JAMA/AMC
A first-grader shared what STEM means to her.
and included building a heart and lung
machine – a breath of fresh air for girls
who thought manufacturing was dull and
boring.
Girls in grades 9-12 can attend a camp
called “Imagine Your Future in STEM,”
geared for career exploration and
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leadership development. Successful
female role models in various careers,
from female engineers to biomedical
professionals, also are on hand. This year’s
camp, held at Camp McGregor in June,
promoted self-discovery and the need to
pass the torch to younger girls through
mentorship and encouragement, said
Fry. Camp McGregor, on the shores of
Crispell Lake, is owned and operated by
the Jackson County Intermediate School
District.
Reversing the trend
“Not enough women are pursing STEM
careers to fill the jobs available in the
upcoming decades,” said Fry. “The time is
now to make the change and encourage
girls to consider these fields.”
Statistics back up her concern. Although
women hold about half of all jobs in
the U.S. economy, they fill less than
25 percent of STEM jobs, which have
grown three times faster than non-STEM
jobs in the past 10 years. In fact, STEM
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occupations are projected to grow by at
least 17 percent over the next 10 years,
according to the U.S. Department of
Labor.
Thanks to Girl M-Powered, a few
Jackson girls may be inspired to fill that
employment void. Maddison Arcaro, 8,
a second grader at Jackson’s St. John’s
Elementary School, said she wasn’t sure
what she wanted to be when she grew up.
Since attending the spring camp, however,
she’s now considering something in the
earth sciences or engineering.
“I really liked making water filters. We
filled empty pop cans with layers of
sand, rocks and screen. This strained the
dirty water so it came out clean,” said
Maddison, who was so inspired, she has
made improvised water filters at home,
said her father, Nick Arcaro, Jackson.
Arcaro, who is on the JAMA Board of
Directors, was just as impressed with the
camp. “These are the kinds of programs
that ignite inspiration, encourage
leadership and bring out the best in
kids,” he said. “We are grateful for all the
sponsors, partners and supporters who
helped make this happen. Youth can be
successful when we all work together.”
Josie Downs, a first-grade student, said
she enjoyed making robots that color with
markers, as well as being with other girls.
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Local sponsors
Several organizations joined JAMA
and The Enterprise Group of
Jackson, Inc., in sponsoring Girl
M-Powered, a program designed to
develop girls’ confidence, skills and
leadership in science, technology,
engineering and math careers.
Sponsors include: The Jackson
Community Foundation, which
gave the program a $4,200 grant for
materials, the Shop Rat Foundation,
Energizing Education, Jackson
County Math & Science Center,
Jackson County ISD and Jackson
Area Career Center, Michigan AfterSchool Partnership and Michigan
Girls Collaborative Project, The
Society of Manufacturing Engineers,
Tooling U, DASI Solutions, Michigan
Dept. of Transportation, and several
local manufacturers, businesses and
schools.
Empowering girls
Another camper at the spring event, Josie
Downs, 7, a first-grade student at George
Long Elementary School in Grass Lake,
was mesmerized by the chemical process
in a slime-making activity. “When you
put all these ingredients together, you
get slime. It was cool,” said the daughter
of Eric and Leslie Downs, Grass Lake.
The empowered youngster said she also
enjoyed making robots that color with
markers and being with other girls.
Fry said she can personally relate to
mothers who want the best for their
daughters. “I have two young daughters
and, like other mothers, I want them to
have the skills and confidence to pursue
their dreams and the opportunity to
explore a career they never imagined!”
said Fry, of Michigan Center. In fact, one
of her daughters, Georgia, 7, a first grader
at Arnold Elementary School, attended
the spring camp.
“Georgia had so much fun. She’s already
asked if she can help plan the next
camp,” said Fry, adding that the program
would not have been possible without
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Lauren Greenman, a third-grader, said she
loved the opportunity to use a torch and
weld metal.
the support of several organizations,
businesses and schools (see below).
Organizers expect the program to
continue for many years, based on
the positive response from students
and parents. For more information
on Girl M-Powered, visit www.
academy4mfgcareers.org.
Lending suppor t
If you are interested in supporting
the Girl M-Powered program,
including volunteering or
sending a girl to camp for $100,
visit the AMC website at: www.
academy4mfgcareers.org and
click on the “Girl M-Powered
Needs YOU!” link under “Latest
Downloads.”
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