20 Jul 2016 An evening with Malala inspires local STEM students

When Bishop McCann decided to bring Nobel Peace Prize laureate and education advocate Malala Yousafzai and her father to Kansas City for Chat Series 2.0, it seemed the perfect opportunity to highlight an educational need right in our own backyard. Although programs emphasizing science, technology, engineering and math have grown exponentially over the past decade, much work remains to fill the workforce pipeline.

As the non-profit partner for the event, KC STEM Alliance invited 22 girls involved in STEM education programs to attend the talk on July 19. The students came from KC HealthTracks, urban FIRST Robotics teams who build in the Kansas City Engineering Zone and the Girls in Tech KC app camps.

Three of these students also participated in a women’s STEM roundtable and a private session with Malala, which will be the catalyst for ongoing talks throughout the year about how to engage more girls and women in STEM.

With Malala’s encouragement to learn all you can, believe in yourself and to add your voice to the issues that matter (no matter how young or old you are) these future STEM roundtables promise to be great discussions! Here are a few more scenes from the event:

The evening included opportunities to explore STEM opportunities at the KC STEM Alliance booth before the chat session.

Executive Director Martha McCabe shares ways girls can get involved with STEM in the region.

Mentor and volunteer Sunita Lavin of Garmin with Martha McCabe.

Students exploring health careers and Project Lead The Way biomedical science courses enjoyed a meal together before heading to the event.

Thanks to all who encourage and inspire students of STEM, whether it’s in the classroom, at home or in an after-school setting.