These teen girls have tips on engaging youth with STEM

Curbing the drop-off in STEM interest among young women has to start by listening to them.

It’s why TechGirlz — the Philly-based nonprofit that connects middle school–aged girls with tech skills — has a Teen Advisory Board comprised of actual young girls who have been through the program.

On Monday, at Chariot Solutions HQ in Montgomery County, members of the advisory board and other TechGirlz alumnae will share insight on how TechGirlz workshops have helped shape their future plans.

The goal of the event, founder Tracey Welson-Rossman says, is for parents to get a primer on how to sustain initial interest in STEM throughout the years, and how to best equip girls for the long haul.

“When we talk about keeping girls in tech, we forgot the role parents can play,” the founder said. “This panel is showing how our alums stayed interested after they were with our program. It will give parents a first hand understanding of some of the obstacles the girls face and how they can be instrumental in keeping the enthusiasm for the girls to move forward in learning technology.”

For those who can’t make it, the event will be livestreamed on the nonprofit’s Facebook page.