SWENext is a great resource for girls K-12 as well as educators and/or parents. It’s free to sign up and has tons of activities, a great monthly newsletter that shares profiles and interviews with women in a certain engineering discipline (different one each month). There are also opportunities to connect with local female engineers and lots of scholarship opportunities as well. Please add Event Code “SWEBoston” when you sign up!
SWENext is a way to become part of the Society of Women Engineers as a student through the age of 18. Become part of SWE and #BeThatEngineer! Joining is free.
Who can be a SWENexter?
Any student 13 or older may join SWENext. For those younger than 13, a parent will need to be the primary contact. We also encourage parents to join regardless of the age of their child.
Benefits for SWENext-ers, Families, and Educators:
- Up-to-date information about outreach events (camps, competitions, etc.) hosted by SWE and its partners.
- A catalog of available scholarships for engineering school offered by SWE and partner organizations.
- Best practices on applying for scholarships and internships.
- Eligible to participate in a quarterly webinars, where engineers from various disciplines discuss the work that they do.
- Resources for families and educators that can help effectively promote a career in engineering to your daughter and or female engineering students.
- A SWENext council where girls can influence the direction of this program … and much more.
External K-12 Outreach Resources
SWE Boston collaborates with various local outreach programs and organizations. The following resources may be of interest to girls, their parents, and teachers.
- STEM Activities for Kids: https://www.bostontechmom.com/2020-guide-to-stem-programs-in-massachusetts/
- Exploring STEM Education: A Resource Guide – a page filled with fun STEM projects and activities
- A Guide to Engaging Girls in Early STEM Learning – Winnie, a marketplace and community for trusted childcare shared a comprehensive resource for parents, teachers, and professionals to encourage a more diverse population for the future of these industries. Our intent is to provide children with unlimited learning opportunities and work towards closing the gender gap once and for all.
- Computer Games and Experiments: A STEM Guide – a collection of STEM games, activities, and experiments for kids. The list features interesting games and activities for all ages and interests, from coding to astronomy.
- Guide to STEM Education – Bachelor’s Degree Center
- Arizona State University’s SWE Section has started a national online tutoring initiative to help continue to educate K-12 students at home. Fill out the forms below:
- Science Club for Girls – meets in several locations around Boston
- Engineering is Elementary – Project at the Museum of Science, Boston. Aims to foster engineering and technological literacy among children.
- Dragonfire Tools: Junior Handyman’s Toolkit – offers hands-on projects for classrooms.
- STEAM Vault – books, media, and activities offered by the Cambridge Public Library and Cambridge Science Festival.
- EngineerGirl Try This! Design Challenge – hands-on activities using common household items. Challenges include designing a mini catapault, a paper airplane, and a sorting machine.
- Science Experiments Around the Home – a list of easy, fun science experiments collected by Business Cost Saver.
- Girls Who Code at Home – Girls Who Code has made computer science educational activities available at home.
- GirlStart STEM at Home – STEM at Home was created by GirlStart to empower families and communities in STEM. Find free GirlStart curriculum, STEM resources, effective messaging tips, and collaboration opportunities. Join the GirlStart newsletter and receive updated information on other online resources.
- GoldiBlox STEM at Home – Goldiblox encourages positivity, creativity, and connection. Visit their creative STEM at Home MakerSpace for fun DIY and STEM-inspired projects.
- National Science Teaching Association – NSTA provides access to more than 12,000 digital professional learning resources and tools.
- SciGirls CONNECT – fun and educational STEM activities and videos (also available in Spanish). Build and code your own wildlife camera, use code to turn music into a visual display, design a planter out of recycled materials, and improve your favorite water bottle with the Insulator Innovator activity.
- TechGirlz Virtual/Indoor Activities – The TechGirlz team has put together a list of virtual and indoor activities, with a commitment to update the list regularly.
