Champions of Change at the White House

I was delighted to be invited to attend the latest Champions of Change event at the White House on Friday.  This event honored women (and men) who have made great advances in reducing the barriers for women and girls in STEM fields and careers. One of the honorees was Bianca Bailey, who is an alum of Girls Inc. and is unabashed in crediting Girls Inc. and afterschool programs in general for sparking and nurturing her interest in the fields of STEM.

The audience was filled with other women who are all hard at work to improve the system so that girls and young women's interest in STEM fields is nurtured and they don't get turned off.  It was truly inspiring for me to be surrounded by such colleagues.  Afterschool programs are a great setting for girls and young women to explore their interests and interact with mentors and role models in a non-threatening, supportive environment.  Champions of Change such as Bianca Bailey are a shining example of what we can achieve when we get it right.

Learn more at http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions

Photo on left: Bianca Bailey, Howard University and Girls, Inc.

Photo on right: From L-R: Gabe Lyon, Project Exploration; Kumar Garg, OSTP; Karen Peterson, National Girls Collaborative Project; Mimi Lufkin, National Association for Partnerships in Equity; and Anita Krishnamurthi, Afterschool Alliance.

© 2009 Afterschool Alliance