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STEM Kindness Extravaganza

Girlstart continues to closely monitor coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Click for updates regarding Girlstart programming.

Join Girlstart for hands-on fun as part of our free virtual STEM Kindness Extravaganza!

In celebration of World Kindness Day, explore the STEM behind a new activity each day to spread kindness with the whole family!

Friday, November 13th – Sunday, November 15th

Materials List for Hands-On Activities

Additionally, throughout the weekend:

Brighten someone’s day with these hands-on activity blogs!

Friday, November 13th - Kindness Chain Challenge
Saturday, November 14th - Sidewalk Chalk Paint
Sunday, November 15th - Chromatography Flowers

     

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Summer Camp 2020 Themes

Mark your calendars! Girlstart’s summer camp registration opens January 13, 2020 and weeks have sold out quickly the past several years. For registration and more camp information visit: http://girlstart.org/our-programs/summer-camp/.

Camp Hermione (4th-5th & 6th-8th)
June 8-12, June 15-19, June 22-26
Calling all muggles! Channel your inner Hermione Granger as you discover chemical reactions in Potions class, design a catapult in Defense Against the Dark Arts, construct a sturdy tower to watch Quidditch, and engineer your own boat to travel across the Great Lake to Hogwarts. Girls will program an online TriWizard Tournament maze, 3D print the Hogwarts castle, and solder their own Golden Snitch ring.

Keep Girlstart Weird (4th-5th)
July 6-10, July 13-17
Live music, Congress Avenue Bridge bats, and the Lady Bird Wildflower Center! These are only a few things that make Austin special. Recreate the 360 Bridge, design a one-of-a-kind solar powered food truck, and engineer an outdoor music stage. From pumping water from the Edwards Aquifer to determining what it takes to win Formula 1, discover what it’s like to be an Austinite growing up in the state’s capital.

Beyond Your Backyard (6th-8th)
July 6-10, July 13-17
From backyard composting to cleaning the air we breathe, even a few small changes can make a huge environmental impact. Design a robot to sort recycling, create a device to remove plastic from the Texas Gulf, explore how artificial reefs preserve marine life, and solder a solar-powered LED light. Every day is Earth Day at this eco-friendly camp!

Secrets of Super Girl (4th-5th)
July 20-24, July 27-31
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Girlstart’s Super Girl! Program your superhero robot to save the day, design armor as strong as Wonder Woman’s, create an LED symbol of courage, engineer a device to go faster than a speeding bullet, and discover how to leap tall buildings. Learn the secrets behind a superhero’s powers and discover your inner superhero strength.

Girlstart Games (6th-8th)
July 20-24, July 27-31
Bronze, Silver, Gold! Regardless of the medal, Olympic athletes are the best at their sport. Explore the physics behind a gymnasts twists, create an aerodynamic diver, make the perfect hole in one shot, and design the next Olympic torch. From engineering a fast sailboat to programming robots to synchronize swim, the Girlstart Olympics are the place to be in Summer 2020.

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Highlights from Girlstart Goes West Summer Camp

Saddle up! This week the campers made their way west to explore the wild frontier. From cartography to geology to engineering, the girls learned what it takes to discover and settle new lands.

The first part of exploring is becoming familiar with the landscape. The girls learned about cartography and practiced making their own maps. They also learned about different kinds of rock formations and minerals, and panned for gold!

It’s important to keep people safe and healthy once they settle on the frontier. The girls learned how to lay out cities to efficiently use their land and help prevent the spread of diseases. They also experimented with different ways to make soap.

The campers did have the advantage of modern technology to help them in their expedition. They used a 3D modeling program to design their own cattle brands. They coded Sphero robots to navigate different terrains, and Ozobots to travel across maps of America. They also got a close up look at the Grand Canyon from right here at Girlstart through VR goggles!

On Friday, the campers showed off all of their hard work at Showcase. Thank you to all of the family and friends that came out to support girls in STEM!

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Highlights from Girlstart Film Festival Summer Camp

Lights, camera, action! During Girlstart Film Fest, the campers explore everything that goes into making the movies and TV shows they love to watch. After learning about all things lighting, cameras, and sound, the girls become directors to make their own short films!

The campers first learned about taking still images before recording video. They examined different types of cameras and learned techniques for taking quality photos. They set up lighting systems and used a variety of reflective surfaces and gels to change the style of the light in their photos. Then, campers enhanced their photos with an introduction to photo editing software.

The next step in the campers’ production was to come up with a story to tell in their film! They worked in groups to draw out a storyboard for their film. With the story in mind, the girls were able to determine what sound effects and props they would need. They experimented with random items to create their own Foley sound effects. The campers also became production designers to build and paint any props and set pieces they would need.

Finally, it’s time to film! First, the girls filmed B-roll footage, or background footage. Then on Thursday, they shot their short films. The girls experienced being on both sides of the camera, working in teams as actors, camera operators, and directors. After filming was completed, the girls edited all the footage to bring their stories together, as well as add effects.

On Friday, the girls presented all of their films to friends and family at Showcase. Thank you to everyone who visited to celebrate the camper’s hard work and support girls in STEM!

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