Across the country, less than 20 percent of those who received computer science degree are women. The number of minority students with STEM degrees is even lower: eight and nine percent respectively for black and Hispanic students. Robyn Viloria Wiens, Ed.D, is all too aware of this gender and ethnic gap. That’s why this fall, armed with experience from her time a public school educator in Seattle and Boston, her recent stint as Director of Curriculum and Culture at Preclarus Mastery Academy in her hometown of St. Louis, MO, as well as a strong determination for giving minority girls a better future in the STEM fields, she’s leading Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls – the first-ever all-girls STEM school in St. Louis.
Starting with 130 sixth- and seventh-graders from 15 zip codes across the city – with a plan to add one grade level every subsequent year, the school will offer classes in introductory engineering, math, robotics, and many more in a STEM-centric curriculum that’s rooted in creativity and collaboration. With eyes squarely on the future, Dr. Wiens and the school’s founder Mary Stillman hope to prepare up to 500 girls for college and, of course, high-paying STEM careers. Learn more about Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls here.
Menu
