EYH—it’s all about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education and Careers!

EYH conferences are half-day seminars for middle/high school girls featuring a choice of three hands-on workshops presented by women who have careers in areas based on science, technology engineering and math.  For over 30 years the Lake Washington Branch has presented an annual EYH conference for high school students. In March 2020 the branch’s conference will target middle school girls from local schools in the metropolitan Seattle region.

The EYH mission is to encourage young women to continue to take math and science courses during their high school years, to preserve their options if they decide to pursue a STEM career.   The workshop presenters become powerful and positive role models, and the hands-on activities help the students imagine the actual tasks a career might entail.

Lake Washington branch is committed to its EYH conference because we recognize that:

• in order to increase the participation of women in science, technology, engineering and math careers, there must be an increase in the pool of qualified women.

• in order for young women to have the option to enter STEM careers – and prepare for them in college – they need to choose to take appropriate math and science courses in high school. A conference for middle school girls is critical to set the stage for making those choices.

• since math is the basis for virtually all STEM careers, intervention strategies are needed that increase the participation of girls in math by nurturing enjoyment and confidence in math, by connecting the value of math to career opportunities, by providing career role models, and by actively encouraging girls to persevere in math coursework.