Brite began as a pilot in 2020, in a partnership with the World Science Festival and The Hello Studios. During the World Science Festival in the summer of 2020, the program provided a high-quality, online suite of activities centered on collaborative learning with female role models.
NGCP revised Brite in 2021, learning from a robust evaluation, and consisted of two courses: Art x Science, featuring role models and activities at the intersection of art and science, and Dream Big, Take Risks, featuring role models and activities that introduced girls to pioneering, multi-disciplinary careers in STEM.
Building on these efforts, BRITE Girls Online STEM Practices: Building Relevance and Identity to Transform Experiences, a Research in Service to Practice Project funded by the National Science Foundation, refined and tested three approaches that research demonstrates are effective for girls’ STEM identity development in-person settings and applied them to an online setting: Community-building, engagement with diverse women STEM role models, and hands-on activities. The project was led by Florida State University in partnership with NGCP and Smart Girls HQ, with external evaluation by SJLR Solutions.
NGCP led the development of two central products of the project: the Brite Practices and the Brite Practice Guide for Educators. The Brite Practices provide research-based guidance for supporting the positive STEM identity development of middle and high-school-age girls through online and hybrid learning experiences. The supplementary guide aims to help STEM educators put these practices into action.
Brite Case Study
The Brite Case Study explores how girls derive meaning from an online role model experience, employing a qualitative analysis and an intersectional feminist lens. This study contributes knowledge to the field related to integrating online STEM role models into programming, their potential impact, and key factors to consider to optimize impact.
Brite 2021 Evaluation Findings Report
SJLR Solutions, LLC evaluated the 2021 Brite program. The full report is available for review below.
More Girls Choosing Computer Science Despite Roadblocks
Girls who’ve had mentors are 2.5 times more likely to be confident in their ability to succeed in school and careers. Katarina Lucas, NGCP’s senior program manager, was interviewed about how Brite 2020 focused on building relationships with mentors.
![[Brite]n Up the Day the OCG Way](/sites/default/files/styles/homepage_tile/public/2022-01/ocg_brite_blog_photo_4_edited-lead.jpg?h=0a075800&itok=cKFtbou6)
