Science Sleuth Campaign Teaches Girls About STEM Via Text Message
DoSomething.org and 3M partner for second year on a campaign to educate young women about opportunities in STEM and give money to real STEM classrooms in need
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Girls start out loving science just as much as boys, but by middle school they're half as interested in these subjects as boys[1]. However, when young women are shown what engineers actually do, 76% of them show interest in engineering[2]. That's why DoSomething.org and 3M have teamed up for the second year on a campaign called Science Sleuth that uses a unique, SMS text message game with a fun twist to get young women excited about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Science Sleuth uses a multi-player, choose your own adventure game developed by DoSomething.org and 3M Scientists. The game revolves around a mystery where a school's science club fundraising money has gone missing and participants use STEM skills to crack the case and recover the missing money.
Participants can play by texting CLUE to 38383 or by visiting DoSomething.org/clue.
Once they opt in, users will be given a variety of scenarios via text where they will apply their STEM skills to solve the mystery. At the end of the game, participants will unlock a grant from 3M to fund STEM classrooms in need through DonorsChoose.org to help fund STEM projects. Participants will also have the opportunity to win a $10,000 scholarship by inviting three friends to play.
This year, 3M female scientists will be featured throughout the game as mentors to provide young women with aspirational figures to look up to in the field.
"As a company that applies science in creative ways to improve lives, we also look for fun and contemporary opportunities to generate interest and enthusiasm for science," said Meredith Crosby, director, 3Mgives. "Our partnership with DoSomething.org and Yara Shahidi provides a unique and engaging way to show young people how science principles can be applied to everyday life."
"Last year, 97% of Science Sleuth participants surveyed felt the game made science feel more engaging and interesting," said Naomi Hirabayashi, chief marketing officer at DoSomething.org. "We're excited to team up with 3M again this year and work with their amazing scientists to introduce even more girls to STEM subjects."
Yara Shahidi, star of ABC's Black-ish, recorded a public service announcement to inspire young people to join the campaign.
"I'm so excited to be a part of this campaign because I love STEM and I'm currently taking AP Calculus and Honors Chemistry," said Yara Shahidi. "I think it's so cool that DoSomething.org and 3M are encouraging more young women to pursue STEM in a fun way that really resonates with teens. I also love that real classrooms in Minnesota are going to receive funding since I'm from Minnesota!"
To view the public service announcement, click here.
To learn more about the Science Sleuth campaign, visit DoSomething.org/clue.
About DoSomething.org
DoSomething.org makes the world suck less. One of the largest global orgs for young people and social change, our 4 million members tackle campaigns that impact every cause, from poverty to violence to the environment to literally everything else. Any cause, anytime, anywhere.*mic drop
About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to the world's problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNewsroom.
[1] Back to School: Five Myths about Girls and Science. National Science Foundation. Web accessed August 10, 2014.
[2] Kekelis, L. and Gomes, L. (2009). Bridging the Engineering Workforce Gap Through Community Outreach. Web accessed August 10, 2014.
SOURCE DoSomething.org
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