On Friday, Nov. 21, more than 650 seventh- and eighth-grade girls will visit the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus to explore opportunities in mathematics, science, engineering and technology.

Expanding Your Horizons (EYH), an annual one-day conference at Missouri S&T, allows girls to interact with women working in traditionally male occupations. The girls participate in hands-on workshops, meet other young women with similar interests, and learn about career opportunities.

This year, the keynote speech will be delivered by NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson.
Organizers have created 21 hands-on workshops for girls to choose from, including “Nature CSI,” developed by the Missouri Department of Conservation; “Mean Chicks, Cliques, and Dirty Tricks,” led by the Girl Scouts of Missouri Heartland; and “Solar Systems in Your Pocket and Worlds in Comparison,” led by the Challenger Learning Center of St. Louis.

Laura Grentz, coordinator of distance and continuing education at Missouri S&T, says the goal of the conference is to teach girls about career options in math, science, engineering and technology, and to give them confidence to succeed in these fields.

“We want them to know the sky is the limit,” Grentz says. “We encourage the girls to show up on Nov. 21 with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn new things, and we hope they make lots of new friends.”
Female volunteers are still needed as guides. To volunteer, sign up at http://dce.mst.edu/noncredit/precollege/EYH_Conference.html .

For more information about Expanding Your Horizons, contact Missouri S&T’s distance and continuing education office at 573-341-6222.