Meet the National Girls Collaborative Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Participants will hear from Board members, learn about their activities with NGCP, and ask the YAB members questions about their experiences and involvement. The Youth Advisory Board helps to review and provide feedback on current National Girls Collaborative Project initiatives and assists in informing the future direction of the NGCP.

As an implementation partner of the Million Girls Moonshot, NGCP is pleased to share the Year 1 Evaluation Report Executive Brief. Key impacts include:

Throughout 2022 we will be highlighting the work and passions of NGC Board Members.

Gabriela is the Deputy Director and Operations Manager of the Intel Foundation informing K12 STEM and Women & Girls STEM strategies. Members of NGCP's Youth Advisory Board interviewed Gabriela to learn more about her STEM journey. During the interview, Gabriela shared how she overcame numerous challenges as a woman of color and an immigrant in her pursuit of an engineering degree and her work in the field. As her STEM journey continued, she became increasingly aware of the inequities in the STEM workplace, inspiring her to pursue a Ph.D. in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology at Arizona State University. Read the Youth Advisory Board's blog of the interview.

The annual AMTE conference provides inclusive opportunities for a diverse community of mathematics educators to share current research and practice findings. Register.

The 2022 theme, "Empower With Evidence", seeks to make science more accessible through engagement and communication, and will feature groundbreaking trans- and multidisciplinary research. The meeting will highlight new initiatives in advocacy, education, and policy to address the challenges of rebuilding the public’s trust and appreciation of science. Advance registration rates available until January 24, 2022. Register.

Educators and leaders serving K-12 students in afterschool, summertime, and beyond will have the opportunity to engage in professional development and capacity building. The four workshop strands are Building Relationships, Cultivating Creativity, Educational Justice, Program Foundations, and Youth Empowerment. NGCP is hosting two workshops "Leap into Science: Cultivating Creativity and Critical Thinking by Integrating Children’s Storybooks and STEAM Activities", and "#Representation Matters! Designing Meaningful Experiences with STEM Role Models", as well as a booth during the STEM Fair "Representation Matters! IF/THEN® Resources to Support Gender Equity in STEM". Register.

ITEEA is a professional association focused on the professional development needs of classroom teachers, supervisors, curriculum writers, and teacher educators interested in developing technological literacy. This year's theme is "Standards for Technological and Engineering Literacy". Participants can also attend virtually. Register.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in education sessions, inspiring keynote speakers, virtual exhibit hall, personal and professional development seminars and workshops, as well as 2022 scholarship awards, Pioneer Hall of Fame induction celebration, and networking opportunities. Register.

Connect with a community of professional science communicators via workshops, panel discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities. Register.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn new science teaching tools, educator-developed teaching strategies, and try new products and technologies. Core topics include science literacy, equity and inclusion, learning for multilingual learners, effective assessments in the STEM classroom, and systems for expanding STEM participation. Early bird registration ends February 18, 2022. Register.

This professional development conference serves in and out-of-school time educators. Participants will have the opportunity to network, participate in team-building activities, and learn about the latest trends and research in innovative and quality out-of-school-time programming. NGCP is hosting a workshop, "Breaking Down STEM Stereotypes in Afterschool", focused on strengthening afterschool programs’ efforts to provide equitable STEM learning opportunities. Register.

The Connectory showcases STEAM opportunities for youth to families and is a free online collaboration tool for providers to help find partners based on interests and needs.

This month we’re turning the spotlight on the Girl Scouts of Alaska, which serves around 4,000 girls from Bethel to Ketchikan. GSAK is headquartered in Anchorage, with a field office in Juneau. Through a myriad of enriching experiences – such as troop membership, camps and outdoor education, workshops and events, and financial literacy skills gained through the Girl Scout Cookie Program – girls grow courageous and strong.

You don’t need to be in Alaska to join GSAK on January 15, 2022, for a Trip to Mars Immersive Mystery (plus Behind the Scenes!). Youth will investigate a “secret mission that went awry” and help find a missing astronaut. At the end of the program, facilitators will give a behind-the-scenes look at the program’s animations and special effects.

Get started and stay connected to The Connectory:

National Mentoring Month focuses national attention on the need for mentors to guide our youth. Research shows girls benefit from relationships with role models and mentors who can provide valuable information about STEM careers.

Below is a selection of mentoring resources:

This report provides an update on the increase in unmet demand for and challenges of accessing afterschool and summer learning programs in rural communities. Key findings of the America After 3PM: Rural Communities report indicate that communities of color and families with low incomes in rural communities have the highest levels of unmet demand, due to increased barriers to participation, including availability and accessibility, and parents' growing recognition of the benefits of afterschool and summer programs as critical supports for youth and families.

An EngineerGirl Ambassador designs, develops, and implements a project in her local community that will encourage upper elementary or middle school girls to think about engineering and engineering careers. Potential EngineerGirl Ambassadors should submit information about their proposed project along with supporting documents. Ambassadors are selected based on the feasibility, potential impact, and evidence of support for their proposal. Application deadline is March 15, 2022.

GirlTechBoss strives to empower girls and non-binary individuals to pursue careers in STEM and entrepreneurship through access to resources and role models, including through their YouTube channel interview series, featuring question and answer sessions with women tech entrepreneurs.

MathWorks Math Modeling (M3) Challenge is a free, internet-based applied math competition for high school juniors and seniors in the U.S. and sixth form students in England and Wales. Working in teams, participants have 14 hours to solve an open-ended math-modeling problem focused on a relevant issue. The contest, a program of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and sponsored by leading software developer MathWorks, awards $100,000 in prizes annually. The challenge weekend is February 25-28, 2022. Registration deadline is February 18, 2022.

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) developed Mentoring-in-a-Box: Technical Women at Work, to help women excel in the technical professions and advance to positions of leadership. Another resource is Evaluating a Mentoring Program Guide, which provides a step-by-step plan with example metrics for evaluating a workplace mentoring program (in either industry or academia).

The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools is gathering educators, researchers, advocates, authors, practitioners, and related-industry leaders from across the globe dedicated to working with girls and young women, to share ideas about how best to prepare and empower girls to be ethical, globally-minded change makers who lead with courage, competence, and empathy. Early bird registration ends April 18, 2022. Register.