By Deanna Welker, Program Director

Did you brush your teeth this morning?  I bet you didn’t think about the chemists that worked hard on your toothpaste’s formulation, or the engineers who designed that amazing rotating toothbrush you used.  But thank goodness for those people, right?  Scientists and engineers make our lives better.  Seriously, it’s true!  Here’s my list of some more reasons why STEM is so awesome:

10) Superstars like Will.i.am and our Gadget Girls team which competed in the FIRST Robotics Program this year.

9) Jobs!  Statistics show that college students in STEM fields are more likely to graduate with a good job waiting for them, AND women in STEM jobs earn more than those in non-STEM jobs.  The starting salary for most engineers is more than $55,000 per year.

8) Space Travel.  (Well, sort of…)  Did you know that one of the people who drives the Mars Rover, Curiosity, is a woman?  Her name is Vandi Tompkins.  And with tomorrow’s advances, you might end up on another planet someday.

7) Computers.  We all use them.  From computer-aided interior design to designing roller coasters, there’s so much you can do on a computer.

6) Cell phones.  Imagine creating the next generation of communication devices or spending your days developing cool apps.

5) Medicine.  From doctors and veterinarians to pharmacists and chemists, professionals everyday are using STEM to help others.

4) Fighting crime.   TV shows like CSI and Elementary only scratch at the surface of how STEM is being used to catch criminals. Forensics is one of the fastest growing STEM fields.

3) Opportunities.  Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines is lucky to have some great places to explore the world of STEM, including museums, planetariums, and education centers.

2) Making the world a better place.  STEM skills will be used to cure cancer, eradicate disease, and better food production around the world.  Who doesn’t want to be a part of that?!

1) And my top reason that STEM is awesome is… Girls are good at it!

Girl Scout’s latest study, Generation STEM, shows that girls are highly interested in the process of learning, ask questions, and are creative problem solvers.  Additionally, girls are more likely to want to help others.  With a mind and a heart that are both well developed, there’s nothing a girl can’t do!