Museum Focuses Education Efforts On High School Females

The International Women's Air & Space Museum (IWASM) is currently accepting applications from female high school students in grades 9-11 for two summer camps on college campuses in Ohio sponsored by the museum. Applications are being accepted through May 20, 2011. Both camps are free for accepted participants. Students interested in this year's camps are required to submit applications that include short essays, a transcript, and teacher recommendation.

Engineering Exploration Camp takes place June 26-29, 2011 on the main campus of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. The camp brings students to the campus for several days of activities in various engineering disciplines. Scheduled are introductions to chemical, mechanical and industrial systems engineering. Participants will also visit a female-owned engineering firm in Columbus as part of their camp experience. Transportation to Ohio University is included.

This year will be the fifth for the Nikki Kukwa Memorial Aviation Camp, which takes place on the campus of Kent State University from July 10-12. The aviation camp is a unique mother-daughter experience. The camp takes place over three days during which high school students and their mothers live on campus together and have the opportunity to fly with university flight instructors. The campers also visit aviation facilities in Greater Cleveland and spend time in the Kent State University air traffic control lab.

IWASM's focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers comes at a time when the United States still has the most science majors in the world but it ranks 25th when that number is adjusted for population. In U.S. schools, science has taken a backseat to mathematics and language arts. Elementary school students spend an average of 16 minutes a day on science. According to the National Science Foundation women hold under one quarter of the science in the United States, and less than 25% of engineering jobs currently being done by women. Currently, approximately 6% of active pilots are female and women hold less than 4% of non-flying aviation jobs.

FMI: www.iwasm.org