Girl Scouts open largest STEM center in the U.S. in central Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After five years of planning and building, the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland (GSOH) unveiled the AEP Foundation STEM Leadership Center and CK Construction Maker Space on Tuesday.
There’s always a need for more girls in STEM, which is where the Dream Big initiative came into play. The center is designed to empower girls to explore the world of science, technology, engineering and math. This initiative has received a lot of support.
“This is like a monument day,” board member Shakila Alli said. “It has been a culmination of five years of us dreaming of vision and planning, really.”
About 150 people came out on Tuesday to explore the facility. Leaders said it is now the largest Girl Scout STEM center in the U.S.
“Our girls are going to have an opportunity to learn lots of skills that are going to help them in the future, whether that be gaining confidence, leadership or in the workforce of the future,” Tammy Wharton, president and CEO of GSOH, said.
Located on the Battelle Science and Innovation campus, the facility offers science and technology labs as well as hands-on learning in trade skills like welding, mechanics and carpentry. Wharton says that while women make up nearly half the U.S. workforce, only 18% of STEM leadership roles are held by women.
“We teach them fun programming and they learn the skills that they need in order to succeed,” Wharton said.
Vivienne Ahrens was one of the many Girl Scouts who got to check out the new facility. She said she’s always been intrigued by the world of STEM.
“STEM there is, so I know a lot, but there is so much more for me to learn and in the world, we've done so much, but there's so much yet to come,” she said. “This whole big idea is that by learning more about science, technology, engineering and math will help me find my passion and my interest and my spark.”
As more STEM-related businesses make their way to central Ohio, this facility will help keep girls local.
“We're so excited with all the STEM-related jobs coming that we can bring the girls that can meet the demands of tomorrow, today,” Alli said.
Tuesday was the first time the majority of people saw the new center. Leaders hope to begin utilizing the center regularly within the next few days, but it officially opens in January.