The community celebrated the latest crop of clever and creative participants in the Girls as Leaders in STEM (GALS) program this week.
Held at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds Estate on Wednesday 10 December, the GALS program presented the work of students from three local schools – Belmont High School, Kardinia International College and St Margaret’s Primary School – to the public.
Throughout the course of the semester, students from years five to eight worked with their teachers to find STEM solutions to issues important to the girls, their communities and the world.
Their projects included a portable ramp to provide more accessibility to people with disability, weighted blankets for pets experiencing anxiety and a combined medicine and drink holder for people who regularly need to take medication.
Deakin University School of Education professors Linda Hobbs and Lihua Xu, who have co-led the GALS program since its inception in 2018, said it was great to see students recognised for their work.
“There’s so much energy in the room, and the parents are so proud of their kids and so thankful that their daughters have had this opportunity,” Prof Hobbs said.
“We want the girls to be proud of what they know. Being a leader means knowing something really well so you can communicate it to others, and when they get to present their work it’s a strong identity moment for them.”
Prof Xu said the public launch event was a meaningful occasion for the students.
“It’s a time to celebrate how much they have grown, what they achieved and also the mistakes they made and learned from,” she said.
Visit stem-gals.org for more information on how to participate in GALS or become a philanthropic or delivery partner.
