Girls, Inc. of Worcester, has received a $25,000 grant from the Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives incubator to support the organization’s STEM program Eureka!
The grant will support the organization’s science, technology, engineering, and math program, as well as leadership, for girls in grades 8-12, according to a press release from Girls, Inc.
The program serves 130 girls in Greater Worcester each year. It is being expanded to Framingham, with the goal of serving another 180 girls over the next five years, according to a release from Girls, Inc.
The program serves 64% participants from low-income homes with 74% identifying as people of color, two demographics MBI is actively trying to tap into for future workforces. MBI is based in Worcester.
“We have seen Eureka! graduates go on to pursue STEM majors during their college careers. It is incredible to watch girls as they develop confidence and discover leadership in these fields,” said Victoria Waterman, CEO of Girls, Inc. of Worcester, in a press release.
In the last 10 years, Eureka! participants completed 188 paid externships and were accepted to more than 300 colleges, universities, and post-secondary training institutions, according to the release. In the 2021 graduating Eureka! cohort, 78% of participants chose a STEM-related field as their major or focus of their post-secondary training.
