Milpitas Unified School District

With 30 students signed up and actively participating, the Zanker Elementary School GirlStart program flourished during the 2024-25 school year. Girlstart’s mission is to empower girls to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through fun, hands-on learning experiences. The program engages students in nationally recognized informal STEM education activities designed to spark interest, deepen understanding, and build confidence. Throughout the program, two GirlStart leaders cultivated a culture where risk is rewarded, curiosity is encouraged, and creativity is expected.

Some of the STEM careers the girls explored during their time in GirlStart, along with the hands-on activities that brought them to life:

Petroleum Engineers: Students explored renewable and nonrenewable resources by "mining" chocolate chips from cookies, aiming to cause as little environmental damage as possible. They used various tools to determine the most effective method for extracting the "coal" (chocolate chip) deposits while maximizing profit and minimizing environmental impact.

Electrical Engineers: Students tapped into their inner electrical engineers by applying their understanding of closed circuits to light up a paper house. They explored both simple and parallel circuits, experimenting with different components to successfully complete the circuit and turn on the lights.

Aerospace Engineers: Using the Engineering Design Process, students designed, built, and tested parachutes to help toy dinosaur “skydivers” land safely on a target. This activity encouraged creative problem-solving and iterative testing to improve design performance.

​"We are incredibly proud of the enthusiasm, creativity, and critical thinking our girls demonstrated throughout the GirlStart program," said Zanker's GirlStart advisor Jennifer Hinojosa. "Their engagement is a strong indicator of the growing interest in STEM among young girls (which is all we ask for!). We are excited to see how this momentum continues to build in the years to come. With such a strong foundation and continued support, the future of the program, and the future of these aspiring engineers and scientists, is bright."