Kids & Family
Solved by Girls STEM Conference Challenges Bergen County Girls
Primoris Academy buzzed with girls at the SBG Conference as they competed in STEM challenges & learned about careers in technology.
On April 12th , Bergen County girls, participating in a STEM conference, Solved by Girls, showed their enthusiasm for math and technology. SBG aims to encourage young girls’ interest in STEM studies and professions. For the second year in a row, Primoris Academy in Westwood, New Jersey, held the SBG conference and it was filled to capacity with a wait list. One hundred thirty six girls, eighty eight in elementary school and forty eight in middle school participated.
Students came from various towns throughout Bergen County. Middle school teams included Hackensack Middle School, George Washington Middle School in Ridgewood, Ramapo Ridge Middle School in Mahwah, Primoris Academy (the host), a private non-profit school in Westwood, and a group from Tutor’s Link in Dumont. Ridgewood was represented by two elementary school teams, Willard and Ridge Elementary Schools. Waldwick also had two teams, Traphagen and Crescent Elementary Schools. Brownie Troop 95995 competed for Hohokus School. Other participants were Fairmount Elementary school in Hackensack and Slocum Skewes School in Ridgefield.
Among the challenges the girls participated in, many particularly liked the one in which they were put in teams with students from other schools. They enjoyed meeting new girls who shared their interest in STEM. It was a way to network and to work cooperatively with people they have never met.
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Each year, SBG features a prominent woman working in technology. This year’s speaker was Sara Krug. Ms. Krug is the CEO of CANCER101, an online patient advocacy group that helps cancer patients and their caregivers navigate their cancer journey. She is also the founder of The Health Collaboratory, a hub that brings together patients, caregivers, and clinicians to develop innovative strategies to improve the quality and outcomes of health care. Sara Krug is the Executive Director and past President of the Society for Participatory Medicine, serves on the board of the National Organization for Rare Disorders, and is Research Chair of the Cancer Education Network. She has had research positions with Pfizer and Sloan Kettering Medical Center.
The SBG participants are excited about returning next year to face new challenges and to hear from another successful woman in STEM. It was a great opportunity to further their STEM skills and learn about how they can use their talents in science and technology careers.
