Scientific Adventures for Girls: Empowering Young Scientists

Updated: Apr 27, 2023

The world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is rapidly expanding, and young girls are stepping up to take on the challenge of saving the Earth. One organization that is leading the charge in empowering girls to pursue STEM education is BACR's Expanded Learning program, Scientific Adventures for Girls (SAFG).

SAFG's flagship program is a 27-week expanded learning STEM education for K-6th grade girls and girl-identifying youth held at 22 elementary schools in the region. Each cohort consists of 30-35 girls who participate once a week for 27 weeks in STEM programming. Hundreds of elementary school girls learn essential 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration in SAFG's weekly lessons. Many return for a second, third, or fourth year!

The program introduces students to three STEM themes each school year, such as biology, civil engineering, space science, environmental science, coding, and chemistry. SAFG's curricula encourage dialogue, interdisciplinary thinking, and playful discovery, which are deemed essential by the STEM 2026 initiative for innovative STEM education.

SAFG's teachers create learning environments that explicitly teach social-emotional learning skills (SEL) and promote collaboration, communication, persistence, determination, and making mistakes to learn STEM. The program inspires girls, engages their natural curiosity, and helps them believe that they belong in STEM. By the end of each program, classes have transformed into a tighter-knit and more resilient community, and friendships have developed.

SAFG's classes also help girls connect their learning to the practical world. The organization regularly invites amazing women role models in STEM fields from all over the Bay Area to its classes. Girls meet with these role models and learn not only about new career options but also start thinking about themselves in STEM careers. Women from Silicon Valley's Big Tech to small start-up companies in Emeryville or Berkeley are volunteering with SAFG to help empower the young generation of girls.

NBC3 Meteorologist pays a visit with Chavez Elementary

SAFG's dedication to empowering girls in STEM education was recently showcased in a segment on NBC3 Bay Area's Earth Week/Climate Change series. Meteorologist Vianey Arana, a panelist at SAfG's Women Who Lead event last fall, reached out to the organization to feature their efforts in empowering and delivering programs for young scientists. The segment highlighted Chavez Elementary as the selected school site for interviewing girls, and Holly Bluhm, SAFG program manager, shared insights on how the organization inspires and encourages young girls to explore STEM.

Scientific Adventures for Girls is a shining example of how organizations can empower young girls to pursue STEM education and help shape the future of science. With SAFG's commitment to providing hands-on STEM education and connecting girls with inspiring role models, the future of STEM looks bright!