Young Women, Young Minds, Bright Futures

Middle school girls from Ledyard attended the Girls and STEM Expo, which was geared toward keeping girls interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses and careers before it's too late.

"When girls are in late middle school their interest drops off," said workshop coordinator Lucy Brakoniecki, of Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund. "That's when girls start to change their minds about their careers and it's when they start to make choices about math."

Danielle McDade, a seventh grader in Ledyard Middle School, took a workshop where she built a dome using gumdrops and another workshop that determined the density of different items depending on where they landed in a density column of corn syrup, mineral oil, water and rubbing alcohol.

"I like the density workshop because we made these," she said and pointed to a necklace holding a vial of colored liquid and sparkles. "I don't really like gumdrops but that workshop was fun too."

McDade sad science is one of her best subjects and she likes to do experiments.

Anna Wagner, another Ledyard Middle School student, said she didn't like science before the expo but likes it a little more than now. Wagner attended workshops called "Radiation and You" and "Protecting America's Agriculture."

Brakoniecki said crews of volunteers bedazzled 600 safety goggles in preparation for the workshops.

"We're trying to figure out what's interesting for girls at this age," said Brakoniecki.

Brakoniecki said the workshops are meant to interest girls in pursuing STEM in education and career paths and to make them aware of the opportunities "and mostly that they think it's fun."

Some of the expos involved making a gum drop dome, a necklace holding vial of colored water and sparkles and trying on the full wardrobe of protective clothing built for radiation professionals.

The expo was free for attendees and schools, Dominion sponsored the event and Mitchell College hosted the workshops. It was the 42nd STEM expo coordinated by the Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund, which holds several expos a year.

Take a look at the Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund website for fun STEM activity ideas to do with your middle schooler.