The annual Stockton University Tween Tech is an effort to introduce middle-school girls to careers in science and technology.
“At the tween years, between 11 and 14, is when preteens tune away from math and science, or they get inspired to continue studying it,” Claudine Keenan, a special assistant to the provost at Stockton who has organized the event since its inception in 2017, told NJ Advance Media. “Middle-school girls, they don’t want anyone to look at them. They don’t want to be different, they don’t want to stand out for any reason at any time. But if they have a group of girls like them who like math, science and engineering, they are much more likely to stay with the group.”
About 150 girls from six South Jersey middle schools participated in Tween Tech earlier this month on Stockton’s campus in Galloway Township.
Each participant chose two of 11 different workshops ranging from building a wind-powered turbine and tapping sap in Stockton’s Maple Grove, to investigating a crime scene and coding a spherical robot.
“I love how they are teaching us different things that we don’t really learn in school,” Lilly Voss, an eighth grader from Galloway Township Middle School, said in a statement from Stockton. “I also like how it’s all women. It’s super cool to see all the girls here.”
Paula Junker, the Galloway Township Middle School principal, said she plans to continue the opportunity to bring her students to campus.
“In seventh and eighth grade, you don’t know what you want to be or what is out there,” Junker said. “A lot of times we just know what our parents know or what they did. This gives the girls opportunities to see what options are out there and help figure out what they might be interested in.”
Before helping each group of students complete their laser projects, Stockton University Physics Professor Joseph Trout asked the same question.
“Are there any future scientists here?”
Keenan said she always anticipates a resounding “Yes!”
“We’re looking to get more women in S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics),” Keenan said. “For me, this is the beginning of the pipeline.”
Other schools that participated in Tween Tech include Fernwood and Alder middle schools in Egg Harbor Township, William Davies Middle School in Hamilton Township, Weymouth Township School, Southern Regional Middle School in Manahawkin and Margaret Mace School in North Wildwood.
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Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com.