American Heart Association encourages girls to pursue fields in STEM

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The American Heart Association put on the 2nd annual “STEM Goes Red” event hosted by Owens Corning to help connect young girls to STEM. The goal is help pave the way for the next generation of women in the workforce.

100 local middle school girls from Fassett Junior High and Washington Local Schools gathered at Owens Corning and participated in four different breakout sessions that showed them what STEM fields have to offer.

“While women make up 50% of the workforce, they only make up 28% of those who are working in the STEM field,” said Whitney Keeler, development director at the American Heart Association. “So as an organization that focuses on longer, healthier lives for everyone, we want women to be a part of solving the issues that they face.”

Participants were able to touch on all of the STEM branches by dissecting a pig’s heart, operating on a teddy bear, creating concrete and making artwork through physics.

“The excitement of the girls, it just makes my favorite day of the year.” said Gina Beredo, general council and corporate secretary for Owens Corning.

Beredo says she didn’t have these kinds of opportunities when she was growing up, which makes this event so important to her.

“Personally, I was actually an aerospace engineer when I first started out in college, and I lacked all of the things that the girls have today. There were no female STEM role models, I had no female professors and I was often the only girl in the class. I want to change that not only for my daughters, but for all the girls out there and get more girls in STEM.” said Beredo.

And exposing young girls to STEM fields early gives them an edge.

“I think it changes my mindset because I like more hands-on and it makes me feel like I’m learning more and being more involved.” said Avery Henneman-Dallape, a 7th grader at Fassett Junior High who wants to go into the medical field.

“It makes me feel stronger that I have like a chance to do it when I get older.” said Giovanna Delgado, an 8th grader at Fassett Junior High who wants to be a surgeon.

The goal of Friday’s event was to encourage girls to pursue fields in STEM by getting them interested early.

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