Leaders and advocates of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) take learning beyond just the academics offered in the classroom. Through TryEngineering, IEEE Volunteers are able to make STEM outreach projects a reality that reach school-aged children around the world. TryEngineering empowers educators and supports volunteers by providing STEM resources, including peer-reviewed lesson plans, at no cost. The IEEE Pre-University STEM Grant Program offers the opportunity for financial support to start, sustain, or scale selected STEM outreach projects in local communities. In 2025, 58 programs were selected as STEM grant recipients.
One of these programs was Girls in STEM Mentorship, held at Dr. Idda Odinga Girls High School in Kenya, with the goal of empowering and inspiring their students to pursue careers in STEM. The mentorship program provided students with access to mentorship, exposure to engineering applications, and hands-on learning opportunities. Participants engaged in interactive workshops, mentorship circles, innovation challenges, and inspirational talks delivered by women engineers, scientists, and educators from various disciplines. They explored global STEM opportunities, learned strategies to overcome gender stereotypes, and gained practical experience through team-based design thinking, basic electronics projects, and coding demonstrations. The program concluded with an innovation showcase where students presented their projects and received career guidance.
The program welcomed over 200 participants, including students, teachers, local community leaders, and university volunteers. The activities fostered teamwork, creativity, and confidence among participants, leaving a lasting impression that STEM is not only achievable for girls but also essential for sustainable national development.
After the program, TryEngineering was able to conduct an interview with the program’s leaders:
What inspired you to create your program and get involved with STEM outreach at the pre-university level?
The long-standing barriers and stereotypes have hindered girls from pursuing STEM courses. Today, technology is for everyone, and any gender can contribute to making it better. My program aimed to empower the students at our school to pursue STEM courses and help bridge the gap between those who choose STEM and those who do not.
How did you measure the program’s impact?
The Girls in STEM Mentorship Program successfully achieved its core goals of increasing STEM awareness, enhancing technical skills, and motivating young people to pursue STEM education and careers. Students demonstrated significant growth in confidence, collaboration, and interest in science and engineering fields. The survey results showed:
- Students who can now see themselves as engineers: 78%
- Reported increased interest in STEM careers: 88%
- Want to pursue STEM degrees in university: 65%
- Feel more confident in coding/robotics: 83%
- Found mentorship very helpful: 91%
Girls in STEM Mentorship was a recipient of the 2025 IEEE Pre-University STEM Grant Program. IEEE TryEngineering and the IEEE Foundation have partnered to raise donations in support of the IEEE TryEngineering STEM Grant Program. If you would like to contribute, please make a donation via our IEEE TryEngineering Fund donation page.