Balloons of Creativity

Every week, Jeremiah Thomas, a fifth grade science teacher at Elm Grove Elementary, gets to watch his daughter hypothesize, invent or test something new alongside 25 curious students.

Thomas brought Girlstart to Elm Grove in 2016 after championing the program at a different school for three years. He spends a little extra time at school once a week to make sure girls get to experience the joy of science.

“STEM teaches kids to be creative and solve problems,” Thomas said. “But a lot of times school is like putting a square peg and square hole. It robs kids of the creativity STEM requires.”

But Thomas said Girlstart helps kids reclaim this inventiveness. And he’s right. This week in Girlstart, students learned what it takes to be a mechanical engineer. They used experimental investigation to make a balloon car that could travel far and long.

Thomas said it’s projects like this that make his daughters more interested in science. Come science fair time, Thomas said they go “all in” with hypothesizing and inventing.

On this day, Thomas’ daughter squealed with excitement as her balloon car shot across the floor. It surpassed the length of the measuring tape and bumped into a table. The total distance? 172 inches: the farthest in the class.

Girlstart to Host 2018 Edition of Game Changers Annual Luncheon with Brotopia Author Emily Chang as Keynote Speaker, on Oct. 23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 22, 2018

MEDIA CONTACT:
Phil West, Orange Cone Agency
512.769.3838, phil.west@orangeconeagency.com

GIRLSTART TO HOST 2018 EDITION OF GAME CHANGERS ANNUAL LUNCHEON, WITH BROTOPIA AUTHOR EMILY CHANG AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER, ON OCT. 23

WHAT:
Girlstart, continuing its mission of inspiring girls toward STEM education and STEM careers, will welcome Emily Chang, the author of Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’ Club of Silicon Valley and Bloomberg Technology anchor and executive producer, to its 9th annual Game Changers Annual Luncheon on Tuesday morning.

The Game Changers event supports STEM education for girls, and raises vital funds to support Girlstart’s core initiatives including our free after school STEM programs. In addition to Chang’s keynote (moderated by SXSW Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest), Girlstart will honor five women role models in STEM at the event:

• Sarah Adler, Cofounder of Spoon University; Vice President of Product at Discovery
• Marla Britt Fields, PMP, Sr. Technical Program Manager at Velo3D
• Erika Linford, Vice President, Technology at Southwest Airlines
• Trisa Thompson, Former SVP & Chief Responsibility Officer at Dell
• Alisha Mehta, Girlstart Alumna and current Associate, Jackson Walker LLP

Also being honored as this year’s STEM Champion is MilliporeSigma for their support of year-round Girlstart After School AND Summer Camp programs outside of Texas.

WHEN:
Tuesday, Oct. 23, 11 am to 1 pm

WHERE:
JW Marriott Austin (110 E. 2nd)

ON-SITE CONTACT:
Phil West, 512.769.3838

ONLINE INFO:
girlstart.org/game-changers/game-changers-austin

# # #