Women in STEAM Lead Girl Scout Workshop

“This was our first time ever doing a virtual workshop, and I was thrilled with how well it turned out,” says Mrs. Anita Debarlaben, a computer science teacher who moderates the Women in STEAM Club with Mrs. Jan Stoner, Loyola’s coordinator of educational technology. Debarlaben says that club members put many hours into planning the program so that they could lead and execute with authority. “I was so proud of the girls and this is something outstanding to place on college and scholarship applications,” she adds. “I want students to understand that it is not always about what classes you take or what grade you earn, but a lot of schools and scholarships are looking at what you are doing outside the classroom and also whether you are demonstrating leadership skills.”

 

The club’s hard work paid off. Corinna Christman, manager of STEAM programs for the Girls Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, shared this note with the group: “Thank you so much for putting together yesterday's program.  I was very impressed by the girls who led the program—they were confident, informed and receptive to the younger girls.”   

 

And while they may have made it look easy, members were initially concerned about engagement and teaching via Zoom. But they put their creativity and minds to work to develop activities that were both fun and educational.  With the help of their Women in STEAM Club moderators and Mrs. Carol Danstrom, moderator of Loyola’s Coding Club, they were able to create three Zoom breakout rooms for the girls to complete the requirements for the computer expert badge:  

 

First activity: Take a Trip Online (led by Kaitlin Vagra and Sophia Murphey) 

Second activity: Make a Connection (greeting card demonstration led by Flor Pallchizaca, Kaitlin Vagra, and Ardyn Chin)

Third activity: Paint or draw with an art program (led by Deirdre Dettling, Ardyn Chin, and Sophie Monterola) 

A fun warmup activity included a YouTube video played to the music of Meghan Trainor’s "All about that Bass" called All about the Badge.