A dream come true (thanks to perseverance)

We're right on track.  Now, who would have thought THAT when we first shared our 30-year vision 15-years ago??!

Well, we did.

Our organisation,greenlight for girls, celebrates our 15th year - and what better way to celebrate than to look back to our vision and long-term strategy that we set forth when we began. A quote comes to mind - and not perhaps from our usual STEM references, but rather a literary one. William Shakespeare in Midsummer Night's Dream wrote, "Though she be but little, she is fierce". True power is not determined by physical size but by inner strength and resilience.

Why does this quote come to mind? When we started, we were definitely 'little' - just a handful of people, our inspiring global board, and a dream. We began 'fiercely'. We didn't set an annual strategy, nor a 5-year plan. No, our first step was to set a 30-year vision and strategy to achieve it.

And, amazingly enough, we've followed it - from then to now. We're halfway there - and it's time to set our next 30-years ahead. But, guess what? On this dream path, at this very milestone year, we identified the goal to provide resources and inspiration directly to teachers and their educational communities. We have been working these past years to try and test our STEM + DESIGN pedagogical methods, tools, and experiments - and celebrating the incredible outcome to inspire more than 75,000 girls across 39 countries. 94% of the girls who attend our events and participate in our hands-on activities tell us that - now - after they attend an event, tell us, "we want to study STEM!".

So, now, we feel ready. How can we then help to get these resources into the hands of their most influential role models - the teachers that are with them everyday?

Enter our news from this past quarter!  g4g and wonderful partners in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Romania are making this happen!  With g4g in the lead to design creative exercises to bring right into the classroom, our collaboration is making it possible to provide open resources that teachers, in any setting, can use to encourage and empower their students to pursue STEM careers and paths.

This possibility - this milestone - is because of the incredible support from all of you, from 15-years ago through to an infinity of tomorrows ahead - we make impact together!

See the impact of the past few months in these images - the look in these girls' eyes will tell you everything.

Making the Impossible Possible for 170 girls

The word of the day is INVENTION. This is the word we used the most during our latest event that occurred just a few days ago in Bracknell, UK.  Of course, we were inspired by one of our g4g global partners, 3M - and invention is exactly what they do, and we loved to show this by sharing their work and introducing their team to these young future inventors.  

Invent what’s needed to make the impossible possible.

This is what we hope to inspire for all the girls that we reach in our events. For this past quarter, we've had the chance to inspire 175 girls in three countries:  France, Belgium, and the UK.  

During these last few months, these curious, inventive girls and young women, ages 9 to 22, have come from more than 25 school systems, home-schooled environments, and 4 universities.  

They have had the chance to see the manufacturing and distribution facilities of lab equipment in Leuven, Belgium.  They have explored the VR technology in clean rooms in Grenoble, France.  They have seen the creative uses of adhesive inventions in Bracknell, UK. 

Anyone who knows us knows that we like to disrupt notions. Notions like…. Some science topics can be too complex to explain to a 10-year old. Notions like… our career lives are a clear and straight path. Notions like… believing that you are not good (enough) for a subject. (like mathematics – please, don’t get us started!).  

We like to disrupt.

Rollercoasters made of straws… Mayor challenges made of rigatoni… Golf Clubs made of plastic bottles… DNA extracted using electrolytes… Flying structures using hoops… Dreaming up the car of the future using blindfolds…  Learning how to code without a computer... Designing the sustainable laboratory of the future using collaboration... (and we have 100+ more disruptive ways that we encourage learning).

It’s been 15 years (this year) since we started. We’ve come a long way. We’ve a long way to go. And it’s been and will be an inspiring and important journey with all of you.

STEM Marvels and Stories of Impact in 4 Countries

Did we inspire more than 500 girls in the last three months - or, did they inspire us?!!   

Whenever we get the chance to bring our STEM learning fun to girls around the world, this is what we turn to each other and say, "WOW, these girls were amazing!  They inspire us so much!"  And we're so thrilled that they say the same at the end of the event. 

In fact, 94% of the girls who attend tell us that, because of the event, they are inspired to learn more about science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

What an amazing last few months with our greenlight for girls activities around the world!  Where?  4 Countries - UK, US, Portugal, and Italy - were the locations of our biggest g4g events during this time.  The cities?  London, Bridgewater, Lisbon, and Treviso were our host cities.  The girls?  500 girls, ages 10 to 16 years old, across various backgrounds, schooling, cultures, and needs took part in these day-long STEM learning events.  The role models?  250 women and men, young g4g ambassadors, from several companies, organizations, and universities shared their knowledge, career path, and wisdom.

Your support helped to make this happen!

We are very priviledged to work with amazing global partners who make it possible to plan and realise an event.  Our partners these past few months include:  AIG, Bridgewater State University, Loughborough University, OLX, Applied Materials, H-Farm International Schools, and more!  TOur global partners support the funding, resource, and location needs - and with your individual and company help through globalgiving, we are able to reach girls across communities to give this special opportunity for learning about STEM studies and careers.

A few Special STEM Marvel(ous) Moments and Stories of Impact

  • 40 Sustainable Inventions were creatively constructed and pitched in teams at our event in Lisbon.

  • In London, four women who were participants (at the age of 12!) at our earliest g4g events 15 years ago joined us to share their STEM professions with the girls and how g4g helped them to set their paths ablaze to where they are now. 

  • This year is our 15th year since we began - and our event in southcoast massachusetts celebrated their 15th year of reaching more than 1500 girls in the area!

  • That moment in Treviso when one of the team at the school asked us -- do you think the girls would like to have their photo taken by our drone?  Umm, YES!!    

Thank you everyone for making these STEM Marvels and Stories of Impact possible for these young future STEM adventurers.  More to do!  Join us - Send your Ideas - Encourage an ambassador - Support the next event!  72,000 girls reached so far.  Our next goal?  100,000.

Sustainable Inventions & Dreaming up the Future

Time whizzes by when you are dreaming up ideas for the future!!  Thank you everyone for your support of our events around the world to inspire girls of all ages and backgrounds to dream up possibilities with some STEM learning inspiration.

Where did these last months bring us?

Ten events in six countries, that's where!  We've traveled from North America to Europe to Australia these past few months and had the opportunity to meet and inspire 730 girls and to introduce them to over 200 role models in STEM!

  • 200 young women from 30 schools participated in our Sustainability project to encourage them to dream up ideas for the environment.  Our STEM Reception held at the US Embasssy showcased 50 of our participants with special awards for their incredible ideas such as:  a smart and practical solution to tackle littering and improve waste management in public spaces, Meat Free Mondays to rethink our food choices for a healthier planet and future, Eco-School Supplies Initiative, an inspiring project that reimagines everyday school materials with sustainability in mind, and Sustainable Sanitary Pads project—an eco-conscious solution tackling both menstrual health and plastic waste reduction

  • 120 girls and 30 boys participated in our STEM Exploratoria to dream up the future of cars!  They had the special invitation to explore the hands-on exhibition from the Automotive Association and meet role models from Toyota, BMW, and Renault.

  • 300+ girls had the chance to participate in our special g4g days in 3 countries during this past month.  Hands-on fun showing technology, robotics, chemistry, biology, engineering, mathematics and more were on the agenda for these special full day events.

  • 110 girls (and their parents) learned why coding and computer science is important for their future with special events in Australia and Belgium.

Thank you again for your incredible support to make these events happen!  

And what's next?  Well, we'll mention these words as a hint... the STORIES of g4g girls around the world.

Marshmallow structures & Fruit-inspired Energy

Your support has made it possible for us to inspire 400 girls in 4 countries with 7 events - in just 2 months!

This autumn, our g4g team has been bringing STEM fun at light-speed to girls in US, UK, Italy, and Belgium.  Take a fast-paced tour with us through these inspiring moments and get ready to hear what is next.

Not one, not two, but THREE events on STEM & Sustainability

200 young women dreaming of STEM university studies ahead were invited to the US Embassy in Brussels to learn from industry mentors, dive into creative sustainability & collaborative exercises, and develop much-needed ideas and inventions for the future.  What's next?  50 of these young women, and their sustainability ideas, will be selected to meet the US Ambassador for a special STEM reception in their honor.  But, we are getting ahead of ourselves!  More news in the next report!

Marshmallow Structures & Fruit-inspired Energy in London and Treviso

Hands-on STEM Learning fun was all the rage for the girls in London, UK and Treviso, Italy during these past few weeks.  150 girls had the chance to learn about future careers in insurance, science & research (at AIG in London) and in manufacturing (at Applied Materials in Treviso).   Science experiments with marshmallows and fruit to teach engineering structures and green energy?!!  Yes, that's right.  And 90% of the girls who attended wish to put STEM in their sites for the future.  

Mentors are key!

50 young women had the chance to learn directly from scientists in the lab in Massachusetts, USA.  From our impact report, we know that mentorship is key to inspiring girls and young women for furthering their STEM education and dreams for the future.  The Avantor Foundation opened up their labs to these young women and inspired them with the coolest of experiments and laboratory explorations.

Keep following us around the world - because our tour continues to six more countries and nine more events in just the next 90 days. 

Around the world in 90 days?!!  Anything is Possible!

Empowerment, Inspiration & Possibilities!

The theme of this past few months is most certainly, EMPOWERMENT!!  When girls and young women are encouraged to create & share their unique ideas & solutions, when they have the opportunity to meet peers & mentors to show future paths, and when they learn how to build their skills and confidence in STEM, then ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!  Our g4g events these past few months have been centered around this theme - and it's creating an avalanche of possibilities for these young women and for g4g too!  

Our events and activities these past few months have empowered more than 200 girls across a few countries:

  • Young women at the US Embassy developed more than 100 ideas for sustainability, inspired by the UN SDGs and g4g experiments and collaboration exercises.

  • Girls and young women in Brazil were invited to university for the day to meet professors and build STEM skills.

  • Parents and girls were invited to one of g4g's Parents Adventure in Tech to learn about the future possibilities in computer science. Here's more below to learn more of what this adventure was all about! 

Treasure Troves of Discovery for Parents and their girls

On June 12, 2024, the Google Brussels office became a place of inspiration and possibility for parents and their daughters as they embarked on an unforgettable journey into the future of technology. The event, organized by g4g in partnership with Google, aimed to spark curiosity, creativity, and a love for technology among young girls aged 10 to 15, as well as to educate the parents - all this while having fun! With a focus on inclusivity and empowerment, this unique event highlighted the vast opportunities that technology can offer.  Activities spanned a range of tech fields, including coding, artificial intelligence, and creative tech projects that blended art and science. This hands-on approach allowed the girls to see, touch, and experiment with technology in a supportive and encouraging environment. They were able to visualize the incredible possibilities that tech skills can unlock, sparking dreams of future careers in STEM fields.

Building confidence and community

One of the most significant outcomes of the event was the increase in parents' confidence to discuss computer science studies and careers with their daughters. Confidence levels rose by an impressive 34% from the beginning to the end of the event. This increase underscores the importance of creating spaces where parents can learn alongside their children and feel equipped to support their interests in STEM.

Positive feedback and lasting impact

The feedback from parents was overwhelmingly positive. Many highlighted the value of sharing the experience with their daughters, emphasizing how it opened up new conversations about technology and career possibilities. Parents appreciated hearing from senior tech professionals, who served as inspiring role models for the young attendees. Comments such as "It opens up the possibility to talk about this subject with them" and "Having senior tech people share their experiences provides a good role model for young girls" reflected the day's impact.

Encouraging future tech leaders

The event also had a profound effect on the girls themselves. A staggering 92% of the girls expressed a desire to further build their computer science skills after the event. Additionally, their knowledge of computer science increased by 50%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the hands-on learning approach. The girls left with a powerful piece of advice for their peers: "Anything is possible."

Continuing the journey

At the conclusion of the day, participants received a certificate from Google and g4g, along with a treasure trove of resources to continue their tech journey at home. This ensures that the learning and inspiration don't end with the event but continue to grow as they explore the world of technology further.

2024 Leaps forward with Gratitude & Adventures

Do you know what a LEAP year means to g4g? YES! An extra day of the year to inspire young women around the world to get curious about STEM and their future! The first months have already started out with a huge leap of impact, immense gratitude for all of you, and some fun and amazing adventures to tell you about.

 

The magic of collaboration – Minecraft meets Biodiversity meets DNA

What do these three topics have in common? Well, it’s all STEM related, of course! With Microsoft leading the way, the Pavilhão do Conhecimento - Centro Ciência Viva, g4g, and Avantor Foundation joined forces to bring science and technology excitement to Lisbon in February. 200 young girls, ages 10-15, excitedly ran between the inspiring Microsoft Lisbon offices and the Science Center labs to try their hands at robotics, 3D printing, bridge building, DNA, biodiversity, mathematical games, Minecraft + Sustainability, Power Apps and more! What was truly uniquely special and magical at this first g4g day of the year? Several things actually: seeing the girls transform their labcoats into science stories, holding an after-lunch wellness break for tips to deal with stress, an invitation from Microsoft to parents to learn about safety & the internet, and working with a very special g4g role model, Mayte Cubino Gonzales, from Microsoft. We always say – the magical spark of any g4g moment begins with one special person. Mayte – thank you! And thank you to all of the incredible team members from Microsoft, the Science Center, Avantor, and the parents & teachers who volunteered to be part of this great day.

Impact of the day: 90% of the girls rated the day as EXCELLENT and 95% would recommend this event to their friends. Our favourite word that they used to describe the day? Whioohoooo.

Our favourite message from one of our volunteers? “I'm writing this with a heart full of joy and gratitude. Participating as a volunteer in the g4g day Lisbon was an immensely rewarding experience. Witnessing the enthusiasm and curiosity of 200 young girls as they explored the vast world of STEM was truly inspiring. It's not every day that you get to see the future of science and technology being so eagerly embraced, and I feel incredibly privileged to have been a part of this transformative journey.”

 

A *NEW* Adventure has begun – the Parent’s Adventure in Tech

Wait? What? Another opportunity for parents to join in the fun?!! Mexico City has been the launch pad for this new adventure in March. Google and g4g created a dedicated to exploring the exciting world of computer science and the diverse career opportunities available for their children. With interactive & hands-on sessions, including topics like AI, virtual reality, coding, and online safety, parents gained insight into the potential of technology and the career paths that could await their daughters in this field.   The parents found this event full of learning and they loved the chance to try their hand at coding and other technology skills. Their understanding of computer science jobs & learning opportunities for their daughters increased by 41%.   Additionally, the parents attending highly recommend this event to other parents - so be on the lookout for the announcement of where we are going next! (Clue: It’s mentioned in this article in El Heraldo De México)

In the meantime, we'll leave you with a touching quote from one of the parents on what they would tell girls to encourage them: "Show them that it’s a world full of learning… Anything is possible if they want it."

We asked our g4g team, Tess and Valentina, about their favourite impact of the day. “KENIA!”, they yelled in unison. Kenia, our amazing 14-year old TECH star, joined the g4g team to inspire parents during the day. Inspiration can happen the other way too, from daughter to parent… in fact, many of you know this already.

Thank you to Google, the STEM-superstars who shared their time and knowledge, and all the parents who attended!

 

An inflatable globe, an interactive floor map, and circuitry jewelry?

Now, THIS sounds like quite THE adventure. 150 girls in Bridgewater, Massachusetts will tell us all about it soon! In partnership with the Center for Advancement of STEM Education at Bridgewater State University, g4g Day Bridgewater is set to rock your socks off on Saturday, April 6.

Coding robots, soldering circuit jewlery, and jumping into a life-size map – it will be fabulous day of STEM discovery on the campus of BSU.

Can you imagine your 12-year-old self being able to walk university hallways sporting your new labcoat and dreaming of the future? This is what our g4g girls in the US will get the chance to experience soon. Have fun everyone!

 

Gratitude for the extra day with you

Every day, and especially an extra leap year day, reminds us of why we do what we do… and how we do it. That’s where all of you come in. We appreciate every moment of your time that you give to g4g and to the community that you impact around you. We appreciate everyone who has been a part of g4g’s journey, for any amount of time, and for those that are joining next – THANK YOU!

Girls in STEM are buzzing with excitement!

We're still buzzing from the excitement from our events these past few months!

Our travels take us first to our g4g Day in London, a day of science inspiration made possible through our partnership with AIG! The timing couldn't have been better, as it was held near the International Day of the Girl – a day dedicated to empowering girls by giving them what they need to achieve their dreams.

We had a blast with over 200 attendees, all diving deep into the fascinating world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). 

We rocked out with 10 workshops that lit up our minds, from experimenting with Science Rock Stars to inventing STEM solutions for London with inspiring STEM-ists from AIG and our event support partners, P&G and Avantor. We even went on a treasure hunt to learn about trailblazing female scientists! And that's not all, we also got the inside scoop from real-life scientists and had some awesome mentors to guide us.

It was a day filled with electrifying fun, and we were over the moon to ignite the spark of STEM subjects in young girls. 

A huge thank you to all of our partners and volunteers. You made it STEM-tacular! 

After taking a quick breath after London, our travels take us to...

Bonjour, France!

We were thrilled to team up with Trane Technologies  in France for a full day of STEM-tastic fun with a group of 19 amazing girls.

A full day of adventure was had for these curious minds, where we unlocked a world of future possibilities! Before the event, only 36% of the girls were keen on chasing a STEM career. But after a day of electrifying experiments and eye-opening experiences, that figure soared to a whopping 73%!

What an amazing opportunity to be able to introduce these trailblazers to TRANE Technologies' STEM role models, showing them just how exciting learning can be. Hats off to TRANE! You've set the stage for girls to follow in your footsteps, and we can't thank you enough for being a true STEM superstar.

Oh, the power of our work is electrifying! With amazing mentors, thrilling STEM experiences, and curious minds connecting, girls are blasting off into a universe of endless potential.

Before g4g Day London, only 40% of the girls believed they had a moderate understanding (or less) of STEM careers. But by the end of the day, a whopping 94% of the girls felt they had a much better grasp! And that's not all - before the event, only 30% of the girls were interested in STEM studies and careers, but after the day was over, 85% of them were buzzing with excitement!

We will continue inspiring girls so that they know that anything is possible. In fact, we are planning to sprinkle STEM magic in Brussels, Canberra, Buenos Aires, Paris and Lisbon!

Look out world, here come the STEM superstars!
 

These projects and more are made possible also to your dedication in giving to our organization - and for that, we all THANK YOU!!!

Adventures galore with hydrogen cars & treasures!

These past few months has brought adventures galore for young women around the globe - thanks to your support!

Who doesn’t love a treasure hunt adventure?!  Or exploring how hydrogen cars work? Well, our STEM Adventurers surely do.  Follow along our travels...  

First stop - The AIG Treasure Hunt & its lucky winners

In April, with our treasured partner AIG, we welcomed STEM Adventurers into our g4g Labfor the first ever g4g Treasure Hunt.  And oh, what an incredibly enthusiastic and supportive community of treasure hunters we had – joining us from so many places like South Korea, Belgium, Germany, Spain, England, Italy, and the US! We learned so much about coding, aerodynamics, biodiversity, evolution, and chemistry, and the roles that women play in each of these fields. And we were fortunate to close out our week together with a live session featuring Emily Gray from AIG who shared fantastic advice for all of us on navigating your future and careers in STEM

And as amazing as each of these days were, the biggest treat was seeing our Treasure Hunters complete their daily challenges with such creativity, enthusiasm, and support for one another!

Congratulations to our overall Treasure Hunt winner - Medeina from Belgium – and to our individual category winners:

Best Butterfly Camouflage: Saanvi from South Korea
Best Red Cabbage ph Experiment: Elze from Belgium
Best Paper Airplane Flight: Akyas from South Korea
Best Chat Engagement and Community Building: Elsa and Orla from the UK

Next stop - let's get in our hydrogen car and go to.... Belgium!

And the treasures don’t stop there! Hydrogen cars were the experiment mode of transport for young women in Belgium as they explored the facilities and expertise of our new partner, Cummins. 

In April, Cummins opened their doors to a world of exciting adventures! The girls built their very own hydrogen cars, as you can see in the picture above. Plus, they had an amazing opportunity to ask questions directly to the experts in the room, which left a profound impact on all who attended. We were also shown where all the magic happens by being given a behind the scenes tour. Thank you to all the driven volunteers who helped the girls feel so welcome, inspired and energised!Our g4g explorers also took part in an exciting hydrogen car adventure with our new partner, Cummins. 

Let's go to - Luxembourg! 

In June, we held a fulfilling day STEM activities designed for curious young minds at the Vodafone Foundation! We welcomed 82 girls to the Vodafone offices in Luxembourg for a full day of science & technology interactive fun - and the connection to amazing role models in various roles that the girls could aspire to follow in their foot steps.

Last stop -- your kidding?!!  Meeting the scientist behind the COVID-19 vaccine?!!

Ready to unlock your future? The Avantor Foundation is!  With our collaboration, our last stop for this quarter's journey has brought us to an incredible opportunity.  We held a g4g Creative Hour, 60-minutes of inspiring talks, ideas, & creations - on the theme of ‘Breakthrough Discoveries!’  And we invited someone who inspired all of us to make breakthrough discoveries of our own - Professor Katalin Karikó. 

"All of my research was curiosity-driven," was just one of the inspiring words of wisdom that she passed on to our g4g community.

Curiosity-driven is a great way to summarize our passion to bring these opportunities to STEM adventurers around the world - thank you for your support to make this happen!