Billings, MT—May 31, 2023—Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming (GSMW) will be bringing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programming to Townsend, MT on Friday, June 9 from 3:00pm – 4:30pm with their Mobile STEM Learning Center. Programming will take place at the Townsend Library located at 201 N. Spruce Street. All programming is free and open to girls in grades K-12.

The Mobile STEM Learning Center is a new resource to GSMW that will provide valuable programming to girls across 78 communities across Montana and Wyoming. The cargo-style van is equipped with solar to power the myriad of technology available to youth, including 3D printers, microscopes, virtual reality headsets, drones, and more.

The Mobile STEM Learning Center will show possibilities, provide knowledge, and give hands-on STEM experience to girls at an early age. While more than half of the U.S. workforce is female, less than one quarter of STEM careers are held by women. From their initial interest in STEM as a child to majoring in a STEM subject in college to pursuing a STEM career as an adult, the gender disparity needs to change at every stage of girls’ and women’s STEM engagement.

Approximately 67% of the population in Montana and Wyoming is rural. This translates to hurdles that can include a lack of access to honors courses, high-level technology business exposure, as well as limited access to quality curriculum and vigorous and engaging math and science courses.

The Mobile STEM Learning Center will allow GSMW to create and optimize an environment where girls explore freely, expand their perspectives, and hopefully pique their interest and confidence to explore STEM even more. To view additional tour dates or to learn more about this project, you can visit www.gsmw.org or contact Rachael Bahre at rachaelb@gsmw.org or at 406-252-0488.