UMaine Exposing Girls To Math And Science Careers

ORONO (NEWS CENTER) -- While UMaine students are taking a much deserved spring break right now, more than four hundred middle school students -- all girls -- were on the Orono campus for some hands-on lessons intended to point them to careers in science and math.

Since 1982, the number of women enrolled in the University of Maine system has jumped by nearly 30 percent. University officials say that spike can be attributed to the effort to push young girls towards an education in math and science. Thursday, the University of Maine continued that effort, inviting more than 400 young girls to Orono for brief taste of college life.

For the 23rd year, UMaine hosted "Expanding Your Horizons". The girls toured the campus, taking part in lessons in engineering, chemistry, bio-technology and biology. Fields that are significantly under represented by women. Organized by the University's Women's Resource Center, the "horizons" program tries to balance out those opportunities by introducing girls to these fields at a young age.

Along with career presentations the girls also attended lessons on how to safely use social networking sites. Those online sessions were hosted by Platform Shoes Forum, an organization that has set up a digital learning environment online to teach girls about careers in math, science, and technology. You can visit their website at the attached link.