“I’m a STEMinist” Challenge

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Empowering Girl Guides to Explore STEM Opportunities

Following a successful event in 2020 with Grande Prairie Guiding units, WISEST recognized the value of collaborating with Girl Guides to empower young girls to explore STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields through hands-on, interactive, and engaging programming. WISEST, in collaboration with Future Energy Systems and Cybermentor developed just that, an engaging, hands-on, easy-to-follow STEM Challenge for all branches – from Sparks (age 5-6) to Rangers (age 15-18). Each branch can chart its own course with 21 STEM activities to choose from and two mandatory activities – “Women in STEM” and “Meet a STEM Mentor”. Many activities have been translated into French for units wanting to facilitate the challenge in another language. 

During the STEM Challenge, participants will tackle activities created by University of Alberta and University of Calgary organizations, researchers, and graduate students – people they may meet if their future paths take them into STEM fields. Once participants have completed the challenge, they can receive a one-of-a-kind crest from the Alberta Council featuring the logos of the organizations involved.

WISEST, Future Energy Systems and Cybermentor are thrilled that these activities will encourage more girls and gender-diverse individuals to envision their futures in the STEM fields. 

Access the guiding documents for the “I’m a STEMinist” Challenge here. 

ENGLISH PDF

FRENCH PDF

If you are a Girl Guide and would like to complete the “I’m a STEMinist” challenge with your unit, contact your local unit guide to set that up. 

Once your unit has completed the challenge, you may request to purchase the crest through the Girl Guide website as you would with any other crest.

Order Challenge Crest

For any questions, comments or concerns, contact wisest.outreach@ualberta.ca.

Challenge Collaborators

Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology, also known as WISEST, is a unit that has operated at the University of Alberta since 1982 to address the gender gap in STEM fields. WISEST strives to do this by creating effective programs to empower women (and other underrepresented groups) to pursue, impact and succeed in the fields of science, engineering and technology.

Future Energy Systems from the University of Alberta is a research program that was established in 2016 to help Canada transition to a low net-carbon energy economy. Part of their work is done through outreach initiatives aimed at youth. With their extensive education resources, they were a clear fit for the partnership with aligned values and goals. 

Cybermentor, which is based out at the University of Calgary was formed in 2001 to address the gender gap in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) careers by matching girls with incredible women mentors while also providing outreach program opportunities Their mission to address the barriers to girls in STEAM and their extensive list of mentors rounded out the collaboration in a really nice way.