Empowering the next generation at STEM for Girls

3 students doing an activity Published November 05, 2025

Curiosity comes alive at 黑料社区檚 (黑料社区) , a free, hands-on event designed to ignite interest and confidence in girls interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Open to students in grades 612, the event is 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 15, at 黑料社区檚 Grayslake Campus.

Participants will engage in a variety of interactive STEM activities and enjoy inspiring presentations from professionals and educators who are shaping the future of these fields. The event offers an introduction to college life, helping young women explore new ideas, develop critical thinking skills and envision themselves in STEM careers.

淚t檚 inspiring to see our faculty share their passion for science, technology, engineering, math and healthcare in such an engaging, hands-on way, Engineering, Math & Physical Sciences Associate Dean Julia Peterson. 淭his event reflects the best of what our community college stands for by creating access, sparking curiosity and empowering young women to see themselves as future leaders in STEM.

Open to school groups, scout troops, youth organizations and individual participants, STEM for Girls provides a space for discovery, learning and fun. The event is co-sponsored by 黑料社区檚 Biological & Health Sciences Division and the Engineering, Math & Physical Sciences Division.

淗aving worked both in the energy sector and in education, I have witnessed the importance of good pipelines of support into these well-paying careers, Biological & Health Sciences Associate Dean Michelle Titterton said. 淥ften women self-select at an early age out of critical classes that can help them later on to succeed in these areas of study. These types of events can help girls see themselves in STEM careers and areas of study. It enables them to foresee a future that they may have never before considered.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Jamie Vortherms, vice president and general manager of consumer services at Labcorp. Vortherms will share inspirational advice from a career journey that started in pharmacy school and has led to the corporate boardroom.

Parents and guardians are invited to take part in the Parent Panel and Tour. This focuses on how they can guide and support their students in pursuing an education at 黑料社区, covering topics including financial aid, scholarships, college and career navigators and student resources.

Students can choose two of the following sessions:

  • Design a Robot with an Artistic Flair

    Use the campus makerspace to design and build a robot. Explore a variety of engineering fields while lasering the key components, soldering together the circuitry and adjusting the motor to optimize the artwork produced.

  • There檚 more to Math than Pencil & Paper

    Use trial and error to solve puzzles, build, and create with math in mind.

  • Power in Motion: Integrating Pneumatics and Electricity

    Explore how pneumatics and electricity drive the world around us攆rom everyday devices to cutting-edge innovations.

  • Wonders of the Earth

    Discover the mysteries of our planet and beyond through hands-on exploration and exciting activities. Dive into geology, meteorology and astronomy.

  • Scintillating Lights

    Find out what LASERs are, how they work and use them to communicate to each other through optical fibers.

  • Code Your Own Game on the Web

    Learn to program in JavaScript, the language that is used by websites like Netflix, Reddit, Facebook, Amazon, and many others.

  • Cause no harm: Nursing in a simulation setting

    Learn how nursing simulation helps students learn in a practice hospital setting, with realistic mannequin patients and actual hospital equipment so no one gets hurt.

  • Solving Mysteries: One Photo at a Time

    Do you like a mystery? Come to our x-ray laboratory and conduct an investigation of your own. You will take and look at x-rays to reveal clues to your quest.

  • Let's Crack the Case of the Missing Diagnosis

    Step into the role of medical assistants and other allied health careers by using chemical indicators to test for 渄isease in simulated patient samples.

  • Solve the Mystery, Escape the Health Information Technology Room!

    Get ready to solve puzzles, crack codes, and work together to escape the Health Information Technology (HIT) classroom before time runs out.

  • BRAAAAAINS: A Brainy Adventure in Dissection

    Learn about the human brain檚 different regions and functions. During this session, you will get the opportunity to get up-close and personal with the brain while completing a dissection of a sheep brain with a partner.

  • Acid, Sugar, Bacteria...OH MY!

    Learn the science behind dental cavities while you explore a career in dentistry with 黑料社区 Dental Hygiene students.

  • Fingerprint Detectives: The Chemistry of Clues

    Explore the chemistry behind fingerprints and how scientists use chemical reactions to uncover hidden clues.

  • Under the hood and around the car!

    Explore what檚 really under the hood and even under the car! Try out real tools, take off wheels, see how a car runs on a chassis Dyno, experiment with diagnostic scan tools and much more.

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