On Saturday, November 15, WSU Everett opened its doors to 110 students in grades 6-12 from across Snohomish County and the northwest region for Girls Explore STEM — a free, hands-on program designed to spark curiosity and open pathways in partnership with Snohomish STEM, Fluke, and MESA.
From software engineering and AI to rockets, circuits, lab activities, and whale research, students jumped into a full day of hands-on STEM exploration with WSU Everett faculty and industry partners. The energy started early with an inspiring keynote from Thea Smith, who encouraged students to follow their curiosity, embrace challenges, and imagine themselves in a wide range of STEM futures.
Real-World STEM, Brought to Life
Across nine interactive stations, students designed games with AI, built circuits, rockets, and wind turbines, explored soil and insects in sustainable agriculture, experimented with ultrasound, learned how medicines are made, analyzed data, decoded ciphers, and discovered how drones collect whale research data.
Student reactions say it all:
🧠 “Software engineering was awesome, AI even helped me make a game.”
🩺 “The ultrasound activity in Medicine was really cool.”
🐋 “I learned how drones collect data on gray whales, the ORCA session was so much fun.”
🔐 “Cybersecurity was really interesting, I learned how codes and encryption work.”
🌬️ “I enjoyed Mechanical Engineering, especially building a wind turbine.”
📊 “Data Analytics was peak.”
🤝 “I really enjoyed meeting new people and exploring the campus.”
By the Numbers: Strong Evidence of Impact
Girls Explore STEM is more than just a day of exploration, it’s a proven model for building interest, confidence, and connection. Survey data from 110 pre-event and 91 post-event responses show substantial gains across every key metric:
📈 STEM Knowledge increased by 22% (from 56% to 78% of maximum).
💡 Interest in STEM Careers rose by 9% (from 70% to 79%).
🚀 STEM Identity—students’ confidence imagining themselves in a STEM job—grew by 10% (from 65% to 75%).
These results demonstrate that Girls Explore STEM delivers meaningful impact in just one day, helping students see themselves as future scientists, engineers, and innovators.
Empowering Students—and Strengthening Future Pathways
Girls Explore STEM reflects Snohomish STEM’s commitment to investing in our future workforce through hands-on, career-connected learning. Together with Signature Programs such as STEM Like Me!®, ECHO Tour℠, Explore I.T. Careers℠, and Spring into STEM℠, and Supported Programs—including Girls Explore STEM (with WSU Everett), AMTEC Manufacturing Day Tour (with Everett Community College), and Expanding Your Horizons (with Edmonds College)—we’re strengthening regional pathways and helping students imagine themselves in high-demand STEM careers.
Thank you to the faculty, college students, volunteers, and community partners who made the day meaningful for students and for investing in the next generation of STEM leaders in our region.
📖 Learn more about the program at: https://everett.wsu.edu/girls-explore-stem/
A Look Back at the Day
Curiosity in action! Hands-on exploration, teamwork, and plenty of smiles as students discovered how STEM connects to the world around them.
➡️ Follow Snohomish STEM on LinkedIn for more stories of career-connected learning in action.
