RT Journal Article ID 62e6ac7146ca12c3 A1 Shuen, Jessica A. A1 Elia, Allison R. A1 Xu, Katherine A1 Chen, Chi-Fung Jennifer A1 Jiang, Angela A1 Litkowski, Ellen A1 Bonhivert, Aubrey A1 Hsu-Kim, Heileen A1 Schwartz-Bloom, Rochelle D. T1 FEMMES: A ONE-DAY MENTORSHIP PROGRAM TO ENGAGE 4TH−6TH GRADE GIRLS IN STEM ACTIVITIES JF Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering JO JWM YR 2011 FD 2011-12-16 VO 17 IS 4 SP 295 OP 312 K1 education K1 outreach K1 hands-on K1 underprivileged K1 elementary school K1 middle school K1 gender disparity K1 interest K1 confidence K1 knowledge AB Existing gender disparities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields underscore the need for outreach programs to engage young women in these subjects. Although many programs exist for high school students, girls may lose interest in STEM subjects at an earlier age. Females Excelling More in Math, Engineering, and Science (FEMMES) hosts an annual, free, one-day event that provides exciting, hands-on workshops for 4th−6th grade girls from Durham, North Carolina, to encourage them to further explore their potential in these fields. This study evaluated the effect of the one-day event ("Capstone") on the 4th−6th grade girls' interest in, knowledge of, and confidence in STEM subjects. Assessments (self-reported ratings) were obtained from 319 participants prior to, immediately after, and again three months after the Capstone event. A repeated measure ANOVA (analysis of variance between groups) revealed a significant increase in interest in engineering, and confidence and knowledge of math, science, and engineering three months after the one-day event. Continued exposure to STEM fields through outreach programs like the FEMMES semester-long afterschool program (Chen et al., J. Women Minor. Sci. Eng., vol. 17, no. 4, p. 315−327, 2011; companion paper) may result in stronger long-term outcomes. Results from this study indicate that hands-on workshops and mentorship from female faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students may be important factors in inspiring young girls to pursue STEM fields. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/00551c876cc2f027,3d3eb64c3bc079f7,62e6ac7146ca12c3.html