| Join Our List |
 |
|
|
|
From the Director... |
|
On October 31, over 300 middle and high school girls from Tennessee will travel to the MTSU campus for the 13th Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics Conference.
The mission of this now international conference is to encourage young
women to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) education and careers. EYH was started in 1974 by a group
of concerned women who noted the lack of participation by girls in high
school math classes. The MTSU EYH was started in 1996 by a
similar group of women in the middle Tennessee community which included
the Murfreesboro Branch of the American Association of University Women
(AAUW), the Girl Scout council of Middle Tennessee and MTSU faculty,
staff and administrators. Our first conference was held in 1997.
The MTSU EYH conference provides girls with STEM role models who
are recognized experts in their chosen fields. EYH workshops also
give the girls an opportunity to find out what a STEM professional does
by participating in hands-on activities. For example, in the
workshop, Rockin' Raider Robots, girls learn how to program the
robots. In the workshop, Glitter Girls, WISE (Women In Science
and Engineering) members, who are women students majoring in a STEM
field, explain the chemistry behind cosmetics. We have heard from
graduates of the MTSU EYH who are now studying mathematics, chemical
engineering, physics, medicine and nursing and science teaching!
EYH does make a difference for girls in Tennessee.
Who would have thought that my first EYH conference in 1991 at
Texas Wesleyan University as an AAUW volunteer would have provided me
with the knowledge to make a difference for over 3600 girls in
Tennessee? You can help us continue to make a
difference. If you want to volunteer to help with the MTSU EYH,
contact us at 615.494.763. Registration will open for the MTSU
EYH in mid-August on our Web site, www.mtsu.edu/eyh. If you are closer to Memphis, you can find out more about the EYH being held on the University of Memphis campus on September 26. Contact Sheila Moses at 901.678.4933 or e-mail her at srmoses@memphis.edu
for information regarding the west Tennessee EYH. You too can
make a difference for Girls Raised In Tennessee Science by supporting
EYH.
Judith Iriarte-Gross Director, GRITS |
|
GRITS Collaborative Annual Leadership Meeting |
On Thursday, July 30, 2009, the GRITS Collaborative Champions
Board and Leadership Team met on the campus of Middle Tennessee State
University for the annual Leadership meeting to discuss the upcoming
events and opportunities. Many of our team members traveled
across the state to be a part of this meeting. After a wonderful
networking lunch, we discussed ways to invite more girl-serving
organizations to register in the National Girls Collaborative Project
program directory. The GRITS Collaborative's goal for this year
is to have all 95 counties of Tennessee represented in the NGCP program
directory. Currently, we have 35 programs registered in the
directory, from 15 counties in Tennessee. We also became more familiar
with the details of SharePoint, a wonderful resource provided by the
NGCP for all Collaboratives.
We also discussed the
opening of the GRITS Mini-Grant applications and how we could inform
more programs about this opportunity to fund new and exciting programs
to support young women in STEM.
We are also planning the
GRITS Collaborative middle Tennessee Forum. An
integral part of the NGCP model is the dissemination of
research-based strategies such as informal learning and evaluation and
assessment. The GRITS Colaborative Forum will be part of the
Tennessee Science Teachers Association meeting on November 6 in
Franklin Tennessee. More details will be provided in the
September newsletter.
I would like to personally thank all of
the Champions Board and Leadership Team members who were able to make
it to this meeting, and who contributed so much to the
discussions. The GRITS Collaborative would also like to
acknowledge the support of our MTSU administrators who helped make the
WISTEM Center (and all of our programs for women in STEM) a reality.
|
| GRITS
Collaborative
Mini-Grants are now
open! |
The GRITS Collaborative Mini-Grants are now available! We are accepting applications for the Mini-Grants from August 1-Septemberr 18, 2009.
What are Mini-Grants?
Grants
up to $1000 to girl serving STEM focused programs that promote
collaborations which address gaps and overlaps in service, and share
promising practices. Mini-grant projects must relate to either
informal learning or evaluation and assessment. Mini-grants are seed
funding and are not intended to fully fund entire projects.
Who can Apply?
Any
organization can apply. First the organization or program must
register in the National Collaborative Program Directory www.ngcproject.org/directory/index.cfm and second, each mini-grant applicant must partner with another registered program.
How can I Apply?
Guidelines and application materials can be found in the mini-grant section of the National Collaborative Web site www.ngcproject.org/mini-grant/app-resources.cfm.
What are some examples of successful Mini-Grants?
There are examples of successful mini grants at www.ngcproject.org/mini-grant/grants.cfm.
Who do I contact for more Information?
Please
contact me regarding questions on who is elegible and how to
submit an application for the GRITS Collaborative mini-grants.
Cacy DeSheles
Assistant Director, GRITS
cdd3b@mtsu.edu
615.494.7763
|
|
Thank you for staying involved in and promoting the activities of GRITS.
Cacy DeSheles
Assistant Director
Girls Raised In Tennessee Science |
|
|
