When one thinks of a popular club at our school, one would likely think of older, well-established clubs such as world language clubs or Fellowship of Christian Athletes. However, a newer, student-driven club is emerging and making its impact on our female student body one meeting at a time: Girls in STEM.
After noticing a lack of interest in science, technology, engineering, or math classes among female peers, student Ella Weber founded the Girls in STEM Society during the 2023-24 school year with the help of science teacher and club moderator Susie Richerson.
The mission of the club is to involve female students in STEM by teaching them about possible career paths and subjects in STEM that differ from classes in school.
The first meeting was held on January 12, 2024 when attendees got to create rainbow fire by using chemicals that produce different colors such as blue, green, or pink when exposed to flames. This meeting was a hit with students in many different grades attending to learn science and participate in an experiment. Girls in STEM, however, does not only do experiments.
Other meetings include guest speakers on marine biology, genetic counseling, civil engineering, generative AI, and data analytics. By learning from professionals in a vast range of fields, members can gain knowledge of all sorts of topics in STEM, encouraging them to find and follow a new passion.
Members can also learn about STEM classes at school as the club hosts a course scheduling panel every March when upperclassmen give advice about STEM classes they have taken in order to encourage enrollment in those classes.
The Girls in STEM Society also utilizes field trips as a way to immerse themselves in the world of STEM.
For the past two years, the club has attended the Georgia Tech Capstone Design Expo in the spring, where Georgia Tech seniors in the Capstone Design Course showcase innovative projects from various engineering subjects. This expo has been particularly impactful on members as the students’ projects inspire creativity and show STEM applications in real life.
The society also visited the Atlanta Tech Village last winter, where members toured the campus and learned about the tech hub’s goals of entrepreneurship and innovation. They even heard from Marist alumni who now work at the village.
Service is another important component of the club’s mission to foster a love of STEM.
Each summer, Girls in STEM has led a week of science lessons to Reach for Excellence middle school students. In 2024, members planned and taught about cells and life science, and in 2025, they taught about atoms and an introduction to the periodic table.
Lessons involved looking into microscopes, making physical models of cells and atoms, testing substances to categorize their properties, and even making ice cream while teaching about chemical reactions. This significant service commitment exemplifies the club carrying out their mission to encourage interest in STEM by making science approachable and enjoyable.
This school year, Girls in STEM has had one event: a kick-off slime-making party where girls in all grade levels were invited to make their own slime out of glue, borax, shaving cream, and food coloring. Gaining new members from this event, Girls in STEM now has over 100 members. The next meeting will take place on October 17.
Through experiments, guest speakers, field trips, and service, Girls in STEM has made its mark on campus in its first few years of existence, and its strong foundation should allow it to become a prominent club in years to come.
