Check out the 2012 Operation Minerva Archive for pictures and more! |
2012-01-31 Message from Praxis Regional Executive Director, Lorne Cooper: A huge thank you to the young ladies who participated in our very successful Operation Minerva, to our mentor volunteers, our presenter volunteers, the teachers and staff of MHHS who assisted us, the businesses and organizations who supported us and especially Lauren Hider and Linda Cooper, Co-ordinator of Operation Minerva. Visit our archive page to view acknowledgements and pictures of past Operation Minvera conferences. |
Operation Minerva is a one day conference hosted at MHHS (thank you Hat High) for grade nine girls to become engaged and interested in careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; the STEM fields. Since 1992 girls, nominated by their teacher (intially there is a limit per school), from all school districts / divisions in South Eastern Alberta have come together to participate in a busy day of discovery. Through job-shadowing and conference workshop sessions the girls are exposed to a multitude of experiences in the STEM fields.
"Operation Minerva in grade 9 opened my eyes to a world of science that women can actually participate in; a field that I thought was largely dominated by males. It helped me decide that I really enjoy sciences and decided to consider it as a post-secondary option." - Operation Minerva participant 2002
Goals of Minerva:
- To inform parents, educators and public regarding the small numbers of girls choosing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses and careers.
- To increase the interest of adolescent girls in the STEM fields of study.
- To increase support from educational institutions, government and the private sector for women’s involvement in the STEM areas.
- To educate the general public and the media of the need to involve girls in science and technology.
- To dispel, in the minds of students the "scientists" myths and “geek” stereotypes.
- To showcase the importance that women in South East Alberta currently play in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (the STEM areas) the career opportunities available to them.
- To provide girls with the opportunity to meet positive female role models and possible mentors in scientific and technological fields.
- To foster network building among young female students to encourage a positive environment supporting achievement in the math and sciences.
- To demonstrate through direct experience (job shadowing and hands-on workshops) that the STEM areas can be challenging and yet interesting or even exciting.
- To provide positive and stimulating experiences for young adolescent girls so they can experience “fun” in an effort to enhance and foster positive attitudes towards courses and careers choices in the STEM areas.
- To provide an experiential base to assist the girls in their decision making when planning their high school and post secondary educational programs.
- To increase the numbers of girls pursuing STEM area career paths.
- To increase media exposure for the STEM areas resulting in greater public understanding of the impact of science and technology in society.
Students attend a job shadowing opportunty in the morning (9:30 - 11:30 am), lunch is provided in the Richard E. Taylor Science Wing of MHHS and workshops in the afternoon (1:00 - 4:00 pm) at MHHS.
Please Help
Volunteers: In order to provide this extremely positive opportunity at minimal cost to the participants much of December’s energy will be spent organizing for this event. We require volunteers in the STEM areas for the girls to job shadow (2 hours), host workshops (40 minutes) and local business to provide donations to the participating girls with tangible reminders of their experience. Click this link for more information on mentoring two or more girls. Volunteers are required by Praxis policy to have on file a completed Mentor/Presentor Volunteer Application and/or a current "Criminal Record Check" (Operation Minerva Criminal Record Check Volunteer Letter).
Suggested questions that are provided to the girls to ask their job shadow mentor: What to Ask Your Mentor?
We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.
~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Scholarship in your Future? Are you a young woman who is a continuing full time undergraduate student entering at the least second year of a program
in science or engineering at an Alberta university, college, or technical institute?
Have you demonstrated leadership in the academic or community setting? If you can say yes to both these questions then you may qualify for the $3000 AWSN scholarship.
Operation Minerva participants should keep this special opportunity in mind when you have completed your first year of post secondary education.
Businesses: We would also appreciate business donations towards snacks, the luncheon, participation prizes and gift bags for the girls and volunteers (Business Donation Request Letter), please contact us if you can assist us in any one of these areas.
This year's event took place on January 30, 2012. To become involved with Operation Minerva please contact us via email or at 403-527-5365.
Links that provide Food for Thought:
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