Although women make up about half of the workforce, they remain underrepresented in STEM careers. A Chicago nonprofit program aims to close this gap by getting girls involved in STEM careers at an early age.

Girls 4 Science is dedicated to exposing girls 10-18 years of age to STEM in hopes that they will later pursue a career in STEM.

“Girls 4 Science was started out of a need,” Jackie Lomax, founder of Girls 4 Science, told WTTW. “I live on the south side of Chicago and for many, many years it’s felt like a STEM desert. There’s been high interest but lack of opportunities.”

Girls 4 Science offers a Saturday academy program that focuses on developing skills, self-esteem, awareness, and relationships to help girls overcome barriers that may prevent them from achieving greater success in studying STEM fields and entering STEM careers. The program is free of charge and is open to girls in the surrounding Chicago area.

The Saturday academy is a six-week program that is made available four times a year, Winter (January-February), Spring (April-May), Summer (July-August) and Fall (October-November). Three locations are available, Malcolm X City College on Chicago’s west side, Olive-Harvey City College in the far south Roseland neighborhood and the University of St. Francis in Joliet.

Girls are able to conduct experiments in small groups, getting them ready for college lab courses. They aim to foster confidence for future academic endeavors. The program also offers mentorship by STEM professionals and field trips to museums, zoos, businesses, nature preserves and other sites to supplement and enhance laboratory assignments.

Scholarships are also available to girls who have completed at least 12 weeks of the Girls 4 Science program and seek to apply for an undergraduate degree in STEM.

You can learn more about the programs available by visiting the Girls 4 Science website.