| Sixth
Annual Girls' Health and Science Day Conference,
April 28, 2006
|
Photo
S. Mann © Project Exploration |
"I used to think that girls weren’t
that important to anyone, but now I think
that girls are powerful and [we] have
a lot to say."-8th grader.
Project Exploration’s sixth annual
Girls’ Health and Science Day held
on April 28 brought together nearly 100
6th–10th grade Chicago Public School
girls for a one day conference on girls’
health issues.
Girls from Young Women’s Leadership
Charter School, Barbara Sizemore Academy,
Amundsen High School, Telpochcalli, Nettelhorst
School, Infinity High School, Perspectives
Charter School, and the Neighborhood Resource
Technology Center attended the conference.
The annual conference was inspired by
Project Exploration’s Sisters4Science
when they told us, "It is
important for all girls to know about
themselves. It is important to learn from
experts. A lot of girls don’t have
support for their concerns or a chance
to learn."
| The tone of the day was set by an
inspiring keynote address by Loretta
Jones, Assistant Director of TRIO
at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Each girl then selected three workshops
on topics ranging from sexuality to
self-defense presented by About Face
Theater, Thousand Waves Martial Arts
& Self-Defense Center, Planned
Parenthood, Chicago Women’s
Health Center, and domestic violence
counselor, Lu Rocha. |
Girls
practice self-defense moves with
Thousand Waves Martial Arts self-defense
workshop facilitators. Photo S.
Mann © Project Exploration
|
The workshops were designed to create
a safe space for girls to have meaningful
conversations about their lives and receive
accurate medical information about how
to stay physically and mentally healthy.
One presenter from About Face Theatre
commented that she enjoyed "watching
the girls take on new identities…they
were so engaged, so willing, and so creative."
| Members of Women in
Science joined the students for lunch,
offering the girls an opportunity
to have intimate conversations with
a woman scientist. The thirteen female
science professionals represented
the fields of biology, chemistry,
engineering, and zoology and shared
their passions and careers as scientists,
professionals, mothers, daughters,
and sisters. Dorothy Williams, an
industrial engineer commented, "It
is always great to see the light bulb
go on when girls begin to relate science
and engineering to things in everyday
life." |
Neurologist Alex Wise has lunch
with event participants. Photo S.
Mann
© Project Exploration
|
The girls’ conference culminated in
a series of movement performances written
and performed by the girls under the skillful
facilitation of About Face Theater.
Sister4Science
girls from Young Women’s Leadership
Charter School.
Photo S. Mann © Project Exploration
|
Girls perform
their final skit with
About Face Theatre. Photo S. Mann
© Project Exploration |
In addition to the workshops for girls,
Girls’ Health and Science Day also
provided a professional development track
for 10 adults who work with girls, facilitated
by Girl’s Best Friend Foundation and
the Chicago Girls’ Coalition. Yasmin
Ahmed of Girl’s Best Friend Foundation
provided training on working with young
women. Lesley Kennedy and LaSandra Hutchinson
of the Chicago Girls’ Coalition talked
about practices and activities that support
leadership and strong relationships with
girls in light of the rising rate of girl
violence in Chicago. According to one teacher
that attended the adult track, “I
actually can now point [the girls] in the
right direction to answer their questions."
According to evaluations, Girls’
Health and Science Day gave the girls
a positive perspective on how they think
about themselves and their bodies. One
8th grader captured a sentiment shared
by many girls when she told us that she’d
learned "I am worth defending."
Project Exploration looks forward to using
the thoughtful suggestions from girls,
teachers, and scientists as we plan next
year’s event.
Special thanks to our conference host
and partner— the Women in Science
and Engineering Program at the University
of Illinois at Chicago. This event would
not have been possible without the enthusiastic
participation of educators and girls from
Young Women’s Leadership Charter
School, Barbara Sizemore Academy, Amundsen
High School, Telpochcalli, Nettelhorst,
Infinity High School, Perspectives Charter
School, and the Neighborhood Resource
Technology Center. Thanks also to the
enthusiastic women scientists and conference
facilitators who made this day a huge
success.
Girls’
Health and Science Day Women in Science
participants, back row left to right:
Sarah Shirk, Alex Wise. Middle row left
to right: Sushma Reddy, Dorothy Williams,
Myla Patterson, Leesa Beal. Front row
left to right: Laurie Parker,
Mara Cosillo-Starr, Wendy Taylor.
Photo © Project Exploration
|
