GIVING. PRAYING. FASTING
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do, what boys should get into, and I think we’re trying to change
that stereotype, but I think that we still have some work to do in
connecting it to the interest of young women, and I think if we
can make those connections early on, then we can have an
interest in the S.T.E.M. careers,” said Gilbert, a wife and mother
of three.
Gilbert suggests that educational entities consider modifying
their curriculums to target girls and women, particularly girls and
women of color. She also suggests they collaborate with outside
S.T.E.M. programs.
“Well, I think the curriculum is important. … [B]ut I’m also an
advocate of special programs. So, bringing in companies to
help cultivate a passion and understanding of what [S.T.E.M.]
even is, to provide role models-people for young girls to see that
there are others that look like them in their field and are doing
very well [is important]. I think exposure is very important and
targeted exposure to the groups that are underrepresented [is]
very important,” said Gilbert.
But, the accountability doesn’t stop there. Gilbert, who regularly
introduces her children to female African-American engineers
and exposes them to things like engineering challenges, says all
parents have a responsibility to do the same.
“And, I think as parents, our involvement in that foundation really
comes in their everyday-whatever stage they’re at. So, whether
they’re in elementary school all the way to high school, we
have to make sure … that they’re in the proper schools, that
they have the proper classes, and that … they then also have
additional resources as well. So, I think if you live in our area,
there are a lot of resources outside of the classroom that you
have for your kids. So, just to sum it up, I think, number one, they
need the foundation … .I hear a lot of people say that they don’t
want to take math and science classes but I think they need to
[take] their science and math classes and we can supplement
as parents outside of the class[room] to help them understand
how math and science are more interesting. We have museums