Dear Educator,
EngineerGirl hosts an annual writing contest to encourage students, grades 3-12, to investigate engineering and the ways that it shapes our world. This year we are asking students to explore how female and/or non-white engineers have contributed to or can enhance engineering’s great achievements of the 20th century. The list of 20th century engineering achievements is long and impressive. Unfortunately, not everyone benefited from them, and some of their long term-impacts have led to new problems. To find the best solutions, engineering will need the unique experiences and diverse perspectives that women and minorities can provide.
We are encouraging students to think about their own communities and where varied perspectives could lead to improved design.
Our hope is that the competition can spark discussion and activities that can enhance or extend the material you are already teaching. If you are unable to engage your entire class or group in a project, we hope that you will consider promoting the contest to students in your sphere of influence.
Here are some simple things that you can do:
- Promote the essay contest to students and families.
- Provide links to the EngineerGirl site on classroom websites or newsletters to let children and parents know about the contest.
- Encourage students who could benefit most from the experience to participate.
- Cheer on students who may think they aren’t smart enough or don’t have any experience with engineering – participation in the contest could open up entirely new futures to them.
- Help arrange access to computers or the internet for students who may not otherwise be able to participate.
We would love to hear from you!
If you work in any way with students participating in the contest, consider sharing your experience with EngineerGirl. You may offer feedback during the contest period via our Contest Feedback Form, but we would also love to receive more specific feedback regarding your own experiences with the competition. Consider writing an email to EngineerGirl@nae.edu to tell us how you use the contest with your students.
And finally, thank you for all that you do for your students and for your support and encouragement on this project!
Sincerely,
The EngineerGirl Team