Ten Years of Supporting Middle School Girls in STEM

On the tenth year of the Physics Wonder Girls Program, a free physics summer program to stimulate and sustain interest in physics among middle school girls, 32 rising 8th and 9th graders selected from a pool of high-performing students in the Philadelphia-New Jersey region participated in an intensive week-long immersive program held on the University Campus of Saint Joseph's University. Campers came from diverse communities and were introduced to renewable energy and the basics of solar cells, and built and tested solar-powered fidget spinners, solar cars, solar trackers, solar cookers, wind turbines and performed hands-on optics experiments. Campers received a free kit of materials for projects and experiments. Campers interact with physics majors and high school students who serve as crew, women physicists and engineers, experience virtual tours of plants and manufacturing facilities, and gave capstone presentations. We report on the products of the camp, as well as results of blind surveys of campers and parents.