Education Matters: Girls Inc. Says “Eureka!”

By Ryan G. Van Cleave | December 2021

Since 1973, Girls Inc. of Sarasota County has been making a difference in the lives of young girls by inspiring them to be strong, smart, and bold. While the programs and offerings have changed over the years, the core mission to make measurable positive impact in the lives of girls is a constant.

One of the ways they’ve stayed current is with increased STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) offerings. “STEM is all around us. It’s in every single facet of everything we do,” says Jessie Wingar, who has served as the STEM Coordinator of Girls Inc. of Sarasota County since 2019. Prior to that, she worked part-time there for many years. 

The National Science Foundation agrees with the value of STEM, stating, “In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and knowledge-based economy. To succeed in this new information-based and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past.”

Currently, Wingar runs G3 (Generation Giga Girls), a program for girls 14-17 that’s designed to build their skills in mathematics, critical thinking, and technology. Fundamentally, it’s about data analytics, which helps them understand the world of big data, think about social justice issues, and prepare them for college success. 

The latest offering, however, is the Eureka! Program which has been going for 20+ years nationally but is new to the Sarasota affiliate. Free to all participants, this 5-year program for girls entering eighth grade combines STEM, personal development, and sports education. COVID-19 got in the way of the initial planned launch, but they started virtually in December 2020 with a cohort of seven girls, and this past summer, the second cohort began with eight girls. “We wanted to keep things small on purpose,” Wingar says, since COVID-19 made things challenging. Future cohorts, though, might indeed grow larger.

Through the school year, the cohorts have monthly meetings at the Girls Inc. site on Tuttle Avenue. In the first two summers, the members participate in a four-week summer camp at New College. “They’ve got such a great campus,” Wingar notes. “The kids were so excited to just be on a college campus. Exposing them to college experiences is one of the main goals of Eureka!” Since so many of the participants will be first-generation college students, acclimating them to that environment is a must.

New College is supporting Eureka! participants through detailed scientific research, presentations with college professors and staff, hands-on engineering projects, and other exciting educational activities. They’re the ideal partner to help showcase the power of STEM careers and present the possibilities and opportunities that exist.

In years three and four, students undertake quality professional internships that prepare them for the final year, which is all about college and career readiness. “We help them think about and develop personal, academic, and future life goals,” Wingar says. “We look at resumes and set up mock interviews. We help with college applications, too.”

Wingar keeps things fresh by varying the focus of each meeting. With engineering, they walked to the Ringling Bridge, examined bridge structure, and talked about bridges in our community. For a session on transportation, they built solar cars and discussed how cities are planned. For terrestrial science, they discussed local fauna and animals. “My favorite subject is marine science—that’s where my background is,” Wingar says. 

At Coastal Carolina University, she was working on her master’s degree with the idea of getting a Ph.D. en route to becoming a shark expert. But she got interested in education and soon found herself following the path that got her working fulltime at Girls Inc. And thanks to Eureka!, she was able to take students to New College where they were able to dissect sharks in the Pritzker Marine Biology Research Center, as well as go on a boat tour of Sarasota Bay and hike through the mangroves, thanks to a grant from the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program. “I’ve known some of these kids since they were in third grade. Seeing them work with sharks, which is the field I’ve always been interested in? It’s all come full circle. It’s very rewarding.”

“My favorite part of Eureka! was dissecting sharks,” says Jacki, one of the Eureka! participants. “Someone should apply to Eureka because you get to discover yourself and explore new opportunities involving STEM.” 

President and CEO Angie Stringer adds that “the Eureka! Program is a life-changing program for our girls. We are so thankful to be able to offer this program at Girls Inc. of Sarasota County and look forward to seeing all their successes.”

Only 28% of the STEM workforce is made up of women, however. With programs like Eureka! and committed educators like Wingar, that number is likely to change for the better.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about Girls Inc. of Sarasota County, please visit www.girlsincsrq.org or call 941.366.6646.