Volunteers will lead STEM activities to provide engaging hands-on, real-world applications in hopes of encouraging the girls to continue their pursuits within STEM fields

November 8, 2019, Hillsboro, OR - Hillsboro School District is pleased to welcome Thermo Fisher volunteers to the Girls STEM Career Clubs at each of its middle schools on Tuesday, November 12.

The volunteers will lead the girls through three STEM activities:

• MyScope: What is, and how to use, a Scanning Electron Microscope?
  Students will use an online Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) simulator, which will introduce the basics of using a SEM and how to obtain a successful microscopy image. 
   
• Scavenger Hunt: What is this image?
  Students will observe multiple electron microscopy images from the Thermo Fisher STEM kits for Nanotechnology so they can understand how the magnification of objects allows them to be seen in more detail. 
   
• Build a microscope
  Students will have the opportunity to assemble building sets modeled after two of Thermo Fisher’s microscopes - either the DualBeam or the Krios cryo-electron microscope.

The Hillsboro School District’s after-school Girls STEM Career Clubs are possible because of the El Camino grant, awarded by the Intel Foundation in March of 2019 to the District and the Chicas Youth Development Programs of Adelante Mujeres. The goals of that grant and of Thermo Fisher in this endeavor are very similar: for girls to explore educational and career paths in the STEM fields that may previously have been unknown to them or felt out of reach. 

Though events will take place at each middle school, including Groner K-8, the media is encouraged to attend the event at Poynter Middle School. 

What:           Thermo Fisher volunteers conduct STEM activities with Girls STEM Career Club

Where:        Poynter Middle School, 1535 NE Grant St., Hillsboro

When:          Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 3:30 p.m.

Agenda:       Observe the interaction between volunteers and students

Media are asked to RSVP to Chief Communications Officer Beth Graser at graserbe@hsd.k12.or.us or
503-844-1772.

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