Girlstart’s top priority is the safety and well-being of our participants, staff, volunteers, and the communities we serve. We also believe that continuing our mission of providing hands-on STEM learning meets a vital need for children and families.
As we go into the school year, we have a responsibility not only to deliver meaningful, informal STEM education programs, but also to keep our Girlstart community as safe as possible– especially our participants who are under 12 and not yet vaccine-eligible.
Therefore, Girlstart is instituting the following policies for all upcoming in-person events and programming:
• Masks must be worn at all times by all visitors age 2 and older. (For school-based programs, masks will be strongly encouraged if not required by the district.)
• When possible, events will take place outdoors.
• Space will be monitored to allow for social distancing.
• All Girlstart staff members will be fully vaccinated.
We are an organization dedicated to STEM education, and following the CDC, the National Afterschool Association, and state and local health department recommendations, we believe everyone who is eligible and able to do so should get vaccinated. Vaccines are the best tool we have to help control and mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Girlstart will continue to monitor community spread numbers, and use guidance from state and local health departments and the CDC as resources. We will update our policies and plans accordingly as needed. Please join us in doing all that we can to protect our friends, family, and the entire country.