For the past seven years, CQL has been a primary sponsor of Junior Achievement’s Girl’s Dream Fair. This event focuses on introducing 7th and 8th-grade girls to opportunities offered in a variety of STEM careers.
The event has two main components – first, speakers give TED-like talks where these accomplished women share information about their personal journey from when they were in 7th/8th grade to where they are in their career, today. The second part of the event is an in-class curriculum led by other established women who work in some area of STEM.
The goal of the event is to encourage these young women to consider opportunities offered in STEM and to discourage them from self-selecting themselves out of a STEM career due to some preconceived notion or bias.
CQL has seen firsthand the positive impact made on these girls in their hearing some amazing stories of women overcoming challenges. Over these seven years we have reached approximately 4,000 young women – it would be great to know this event might have influenced some of these young girls to pursue a STEM-related career.
This year’s Grand Rapids event was held on Friday, May 13th at Junior Achievement’s new facility in Grand Rapids.