
Photo courtesy of Hoover City Schools
Girls take part in a hands-on activity at the 2022 Hoover City Schools Girls Engaged in Math and Science Expo.
The Hoover school system’s 11th annual Girls Engaged in Math and Science Expo is scheduled for this Saturday, Feb. 1, at Spain Park High School.
The expo, to be held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., has grown from 65 participants its inaugural year to an expected 650 elementary and middle school girls this year, school officials said.
The event, with a “dream big” theme this year, is designed to ignite a love for science, technology, engineering and math in young women and open their eyes to future careers they may not have previously considered. Women currently make up only 34% of the workforce in STEM fields, school officials said.
This year’s keynote speaker is Gitanjali Rao, an 18-year-old inventor, aspiring scientist, author, speaker and advocate for STEM education worldwide. Currently a student at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology, Rao will share her journey to encourage the next generation of girls to pursue their dreams in science, technology, engineering, and math.
The day will be packed with engaging, hands-on activities, experiential learning and opportunities to meet female role models in a wide range of STEM careers, including cardiology, veterinary medicine, meteorology, engineering and space exploration.
“We want our students to look back on their time at GEMS as the spark that ignited their passion for STEM,” said Geri Evans, a science, technology, engineering, arts and math teacher at Bluff Park Elementary School.
Signature Homes, U.S. Steel, and The Hoover Foundation are sponsors of the event.