Design Divas

With merry-go-rounds spinning and handmade cars racing, nearly 100 young scientists put their engineering skills to the test on Saturday, October 17 during Design Divas, a workshop hosted by Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast and volunteers from Booz Allen Hamilton Strategy and Technology Consulting.

Design Divas was an opportunity for girls in grades K-5 to explore and discover in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields through a variety of hands-on activities. Girls learned about oil spills while cleaning up simulated oil spills using household items and created theme park rides to learn about gears. They also constructed puff mobiles—cars powered by their breath, and learned about fulcrums and kinetic energy by building catapults.

This event was an opportunity for girls to learn new skills and explore their STEM interests in the supportive, all-girl environment of Girl Scouts. Today, women hold less than 30 percent of STEM careers, and Girl Scouts is working to fill the gap by engaging girls in activities where they are free to explore their interests, as well as interact with females in the STEM fields who serve as role models for girls with similar interests.

Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast is committed to offering STEM opportunities for girls all year long, including Society of Women Engineers Day in November and STEMagination Expo in January. All girls are welcome to attend these events, whether or not they are currently a Girl Scout member. For more information about attending a STEM event or joining Girl Scouts, visit www.gsccc.org.