News from Girls Raised in Tennessee Science (GRITS)

This is a special edition of the GRITS Collaborative Project newsletter. March is National Women's History Month and in honor of this celebration of women, we want to celebrate the outstanding achievements that have been made by the National Girls Collaborative Project, our home organization. Consider these numbers:

11,469,883 visits to the NGCP website
2097 programs are listed in the On-Line NGCP Program Directory
17,058 participants served in 126 mini-grants completing activities
9119 practitioners been served through events and WebCasts
4,865,557 girls served indirectly by NGCP by having their leaders (parents, volunteers, guardians, teachers, and non-profit staff) trained in the philosophy, knowledge, and methods of NGCP and participating in the incentives to improve their programs and collaborate.

You can increase these numbers for Girls Raised In Tennessee Science by enrolling in the NGCP Program Directory and by applying for a Mini-Grant.

Thank you for supporting the Girls Raised In Tennessee Science Collaborative Project!

Judith

Funding Your Ideas Through GRITS CP Mini-Grants

Do you love math or science? Do you get excited at the thought of sharing your passion with young girls? Do you have a great idea for sharing that passion with a group of girls?

If so, a GRITS Collaborative Project mini-grant is just what you need! Mini-grants are awarded to foster collaboration between two or more girl-serving programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Projects funded by mini-grants are designed to build collaboration between existing programs and organizations in order to encourage girls to pursue STEM-related educational programs and careers. They must include either informal learning or evaluation and assessment. Mini-grants (up to $1000) are intended to be seed money to partially fund a new endeavor between two or more agencies with the goal of getting girls excited about one or more STEM areas.

Here's what you need to do:

· Think of an exciting idea for sharing STEM with girls (you can include boys)

· Register in the NGCP Program Directory

· Identify a partner organization to collaborate with (they need to register in the Program Directory too)

· Fill out a Mini-Grant Application between March 23, 2011 and April 15, 2011.

· If funded, be prepared to share your great idea with others at the GRITS Annual Conference (November 5 on the MTSU campus, details coming soon)

Numerous organizations provide valuable but uncoordinated activities and support services related to motivating and supporting girls' interest in STEM careers. The goal of the mini-grants is to get these organizations working together! Recent examples of mini-grant supported projects include:

· A girl scout troop & a community college working together to provide a night of hands-on science activities

· Two community agencies partnering together to host a mother/daughter informational session on careers in science

· A community agency partnering with a community college was awarded money to help support their science summer camp for girls

Remember, the collaboration must be for a new event or to add a new component to an existing event, and it should include education or assessment of learning, career information, or other STEM-related activities targeting girls. We look forward to reviewing your application! If you have questions, contact Dr. Rachel Rigsby, GRITS Collaborative Project Mini-Grant Chair at rachel.rigsby@belmont.edu.

Thank you for supporting Girls Raised In Tennessee Science!

Judith Iriarte-Gross Ph.D.

GRITS Collaborative Project

WISTEM Center

615-494-7763