STEAM Learning That Respects Girls as Thinkers, Problem-Solvers and Innovators
The Pretty Brainy Vision is this: to empower 2 million girls to develop their genius and abilities in science, technology, engineering, arts and math – STEAM – so they positively impact their communities and world.
Our Impact
Learning
KEY INITIATIVE
Pretty Brilliant™
We gave young engineers this challenge: use human-centered design to create home lighting that increases safety & energy efficiency while lowering costs for a young family.
Confidence
KEY INITIATIVE
Textiles + TechStyles™
In 40 hours of service learning, young innovators wrote code, prototyped, and created technology to improve health & well-being among the members of their community.
Community
KEY INITIATIVE
MISSion Innovation™
Over 24 hours, 150 high school and college women will collaborate to contribute solutions to dilemmas in building sustainable cities and communities, globally and locally.
Want to learn more about our impact?
Check out our fact sheet of learning outcomes.
Priority Issues
Supporting Girls in Advancing Their STEAM Learning and Careers
Contributing to the National STEM to STEAM Initiative
Building a Community and Culture of Women and Girls in STEAM
GIRLS CAN DO MATH AND ANYTHING ELSE THEY WANT.
WE WORK SO GIRLS AND THOSE AROUND THEM KNOW THIS, TOO
In a 2006 survey of teen girls, 44% said, “The smartest girls in my school are not popular.”3 Old stereotypes about cognition and capability die hard and harm girls: 30,000 students in the United States take the advanced placement computer science A test, which focuses on computational thinking. Fewer than 6,000 are girls.4 In Colorado in 2016, the number was 51. Less than one-half of 1% of all high school girls in the state participated.
1 Girls Inc. The Super Girl Dilemma: Girls Feel the Pressure to Be Perfect, Accomplished, Thin, and Accommodating. Oct. 2006. www.girlsinc.org.
2 National Science Foundation. Science and Engineering Degrees: 1966-2006. Oct. 2008. www.nsf.gov.
3 Girls Inc. The Super Girl Dilemma: Girls Feel the Pressure to Be Perfect, Accomplished, Thin, and Accommodating. Oct. 2006. www.girlsinc.org.
4 Heitin, Liana. “No Girls, Blacks, or Hispanics Take AP Computer Science Exam in Some States.” Education Week, Jan. 2014. Retrieved Oct. 12, 2014, from http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/01/girls_african_americans_and_hi.html.
Corbett, Christianne, Catherine Hill and Andresse St. Rose. Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. March 2010. AAUW. Washington, D.C.