According to the World Economic Forum, “only 1 in 7 women with a degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) actually works in that area,” due to social norms and lack of opportunity.
Now, through a club offered at Chapel Hill High School thanks to junior Nicole Bell, any Chapel Hill High school student who identifies as female can join Fem-STEM and participate in STEM opportunities.
“This year is the first year it is a real club recognized by the school,” Bell said. With the help of the club’s advisor Jennifer Walker, Bell and the students interested in pursuing STEM-related jobs will now have an outlet to channel their interest.
Walker, a Cisco Networking teacher at Chapel Hill, is “the perfect advisor for a female STEM club,” Bell said.
“By having a club that specifically gears toward females in STEM, I can share scholarship information and opportunities like Girls Who Code,” Walker said.
Bell hopes her club will provide students an opportunity to “find a STEM field they really like and potentially want to go into.” About 20 female-identifying students signed up for Fem-STEM.
Juniors Isabelle Leinenweber and Zara Waheed are excited to join the club this year.
“I signed up for this club because I think that it’s important to have programs that show women and girls that there are job opportunities in the STEM field,” Leinenweber said.
“I signed up for Fem-STEM because I find the STEM field really interesting, and it’s important for there to be more women involved in these historically male-dominated fields,” Waheed added.
Bell hopes to get more students involved in the club.
“The club will meet rarely on school time and will mostly being participating in out of school activities,” Bell said.
