IGNITE Worldwide Best Practice Award Winner
I served as the school coordinator for the IGNITE program at an elementary school where we have minimal extra-curricular activities, especially surrounding STEAM. In offering the program as the school counselor, I had all 20 slots fill up immediately from my 4th and 5th grade girls. It was incredible to see high school scholars working as mentors with my younger girls to talk about career possibilities, female role models, and STEM job potential. During the first session, my scholars were in disbelief at the low percentage of women working in tech and that further emphasized the importance of IGNITE’s work and ability to promote future female STEM leaders. Not only was the program helpful in introducing coding and other aspects, but served as a leadership opportunity for some of our high school scholars who needed an additional outlet to demonstrate their skills and ability to connect with younger girls.
IGNITE and its mission allow my female scholars to dream big and gain exposure to a wide world of career opportunities traditionally off-limits to women. Our younger generation of girls is fierce, intelligent, and driven; attributes much needed for the future of the STEM field. IGNITE helps to unite these high school and elementary aged girls in STEM exploration and education, and demonstrate that women are equally as capable of succeeding in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology.