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“At Girl
Scouts, we will be celebrating National Mentoring Month, and ringing in the New
Year, by joining forces with the Million Women Mentors, a group dedicated to
supporting girls and young women in the science, technology, engineering and
math (STEM) fields, and exposing them to professional women already doing
incredible things in STEM,” said Anna Maria Chávez, CEO, Girl Scouts of the
USA. “STEM careers are the fastest growing in the world, yet less than a
quarter of working women choose these fields, despite the high levels of
interest younger girls show STEM. I have
long believed that you can’t be what you can’t see, and today, too many girls
aren’t getting the exposure to female scientists, doctors and engineers who
could serve as role models -- proof that women can enter and excel in STEM.”

According to the Girl Scout Research Institute study Generation STEM: What Girls Say about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, though a majority of today’s girls have a clear interest in STEM, they don’t prioritize STEM fields when thinking about their future careers. The study shows that 74 percent of teen girls are interested in STEM subjects and the general field of study. Further, a high 82 percent of girls see themselves as “smart enough to have a career in STEM.” And yet, few girls consider it their number-one career option: 81 percent of girls interested in STEM are interested in pursuing STEM careers, but only 13 percent say it’s their first choice.
“One of the biggest benefits of Girl Scouts is the
opportunity to be exposed to and mentored by women leaders,” said Chávez. “We need more girls to be exposed to more female
mentors from all walks of life, volunteers who can truly relate to the
interests of girls, and understand the challenges they face, and reach their
fullest potential.”
Check out MillionWomenMentors.org for more information!