GEMS (Girls Excelling in Math and Science) has been working since 1994 to increase interest in STEM for girls in elementary and middle school and to expose girls to the fun and wonder of these fields.
Explore these pages and find out about GEMS,
its purpose, history, activities, research, and
resources for encouraging girls and
maybe starting a club of your own!
Ever wanted to start your own GEMS club? The updated GEMS Toolkit is available--free to download.
If you download the Toolkit, please complete the Request for Information form.
GEMS clubs are all over the world. Let us know where you are and what you do!
If you have started a GEMS club, or if you use our resources, please let us know at firstname.lastname@example.org.
GEMS (Girls Excelling in Math and Science) clubs were started in 1994 by Laura Reasoner Jones, a teacher and parent of two school-age daughters.Upon hearing her daughter say she didn’t want to go to a magnet school because “Math is hard.” Ms. Jones enlisted the help and support of her local elementary school and started an after school club for fifth and sixth grade girls. Since that time, hundreds of similar clubs have begun around the country, and GEMS has expanded to both younger and older girls.
The GEMS Club makes the Washington Post! See page 19--commentary on women and entrepeneurs.
News and Notes about GEMS
* Follow us on Twitter @GirlsExcelling
* Like us on Facebook
* We are co-sponsoring the Northern Virginia MakerFaire
* Oil City PA GEMS Article: Big things in a small town
* GEMS in the news--March 6
* The GEMS Clubs have been invited to participate in the Clinton Global Initiative CGI America in Chicago.
Here is the video discussing the partnership we are hoping to form:
Clinton Global Initiatives -- scroll to 1:07:52
* GEMS goes to the White House! And we were thrilled by the new video about girls in STEM.
* New infographic from MBA online about Women in Technology
* GEMS club in KidsPost March 8
* GEMS and the Maker movement--Take Apart Day at the Nova Labs
You will find resources for starting your own club, research on the impact of clubs like GEMS, gender equity research, tips for teachers and parents, activities to encourage girls in math and science, and fun links for girls to explore.
We attended the USA Science and Engineering Festivals in Washington DC thanks to grants from the Mid-Atlantic GIrls Collaborative. We also sponsored the NoVa Mini Maker Faire with a Take-Apart booth run by GEMS girls.
GEMS participated in the Hour of Code. Did you?
EWeek is one of our favorite events along with our favorite Girl Day--Check out the free resources: DiscoverE.org
GEMS has a Pinterest board! Follow us and send pins our way.