Eureka! Program
Summer STEM Program for Girls
Girls Inc. Eureka! is a STEM-based approach engaging and empowering girls beginning the summer before they enter 7th or 8th grade. Eureka! is a yearly commitment and involves summer and school year experiences.
Many girls are lacking stable home environments, support and encouragement. Often this is coupled with the lack of career aspirations and inadequate health education programs. Girls need opportunities! Eureka! aims to create a positive environment where girls can take charge of who they are now and who they can be in the future.
No girl is charged fees to participate in Girls Inc., so the cost burden to a girl and their family is removed, making participation a reality.
Our partnership with Berkshire Gas Company/Avangrid Foundation, the Josephine and Louise Crane Foundation, Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Berkshires, and our many generous donors enable Girls Inc. of the Berkshires to bring the opportunity for local girls to participate in EUREKA! at no cost to the families.
The program helps girls to see themselves as an important part of the workforce of the future. During the five-year Eureka! program, girls get to participate in a variety of exciting and compelling activities exploring STEM through hands-on experiences on a college campus.
Eureka! fosters educational, professional and personal development by incorporating complementary activities in sports and physical fitness, healthy living, and economic literacy.
Without intervention, girls’ interest and confidence in STEM subjects can begin to wane as early as elementary school. The issue isn’t about curiosity in the subject matter, but rather confidence in the skills needed to do the work; building self-assurance in their abilities early in their education is key. Eureka! aims to create a positive environment where girls can take charge of who they are now and who they can become in the future!
Learn more about Eureka! program results.
2024 Program Information
Girls entering 7th and 8th grade in Fall 2024 who are interested in exploring STEM-related subjects can apply to participate in Eureka! There is no fee for girls who make the commitment to participate in the Eureka! Program.
The Eureka! Summer Program dates were July 29th, 2024 through August 3rd, 2024. The program runs from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Transportation to Eureka! sites is provided to and from the Brigham Center each day.
Throughout the school year, our Eurekeans! will continue to meet monthly as a group and then individually with their coordinator to establish, meet and build new academic and personal goals with their Individual Success Plans (ISP).
History of the Program
In the summer of 2019, a second cohort of girls entering 8th grade will begin their journey in the Eureka! program joining the 14 girls from the inaugural cohort that launched in July 2018. Girls will study STEM-related subjects in a hands-on, girls-only educational environment for four weeks this summer at Berkshire Community College with professors from BCC and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In collaboration with Berkshire Community College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, professors will work with the girls as they dive deep into STEM subjects. Days also include programming to focus on personal growth and health, wellness, and sports to promote healthy life habits. The girls will also get their first taste of potential careers as they visit local businesses for tours.
Since our first Cohort, we have seen each of our 12th grade Eurekeans! graduate high school, on time and in excellent academic standing. Many of whom received full tuition to their desired Institute of Higher Education. We have had 30% of graduates who completed their five years in the program attend or be accepted into Ivy League schools. We have has Eurekeans! who served on the Girls Inc. National Youth Advisory Council, create PSA’s that were shared across the Berkshires, and participate in food insecurity projects providing meals to local families.
Local Eureka! Partners
We have partnered with many local nonprofits and businesses to provide hands on intern/extern-ships, tours, listening sessions and projects.
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Eureka! Coordinator
Lucy Schwartz
lucys@brighamcenter.org
Eureka! Overview
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Through collaboration with Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and Berkshire Community College, girls will participate in a four-week, non-residential camp. Camps will emphasize math, science and tech-nology experiences, personal/career development and sports. Girls will have a unique opportunity on a college campus to have a hands-on, STEM-centered, girls-only environment where they can feel comfortable exploring and learning about various fields of study. Girls Inc. program staff will create a diverse and interesting camp experience working with professors from the local colleges. In addition, 25% of programming will focus on personal growth and 25% on health, wellness and sports, promoting healthy life habits.
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Every four to six weeks throughout the school year, the girls will meet to expand upon traditional classroom subjects, enjoy field trips, and continue to develop relationships with one another, Girls Inc., college staff, and STEM professionals.
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Girls will be placed in STEM-related internships during the summer to gain real-world experience and fuel their career aspirations. Stipends for the internships are an important component to the program so as not to put girls in the position of choosing between an internship or a paid job.
No Cost Burden
The most important feature of the Girls Inc. Eureka! program is that no girl is charged to participate in the program, so the cost burden to a girl and her family is removed; this makes participation for any girl interested in Eureka!, no matter her circumstances, is a reality!
Support Girls Inc. Eureka! in the Berkshires
Your support of Girls Inc. of the Berkshires is always appreciated!
Questions? Please contact Abigail Allard, Development & Communications Manager at 413.442.5174 x 12 or via email at abigaila@BrighamCenter.org.
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
…and to all of our generous individual donors.
Girls Inc. of the Berkshires has been fortunate to have support to from Avangrid Foundation, partnering with Berkshire Gas Company, the Josephine and Louise Crane Foundation, the Feigenbaum Foundation, the Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Berkshires, the Zonta Club of the Berkshires and many other donors, along with our collaborators Berkshire Community College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, allowing us to continue to grow the Eureka! program.
“Girls Inc., or the Girls Club, as I knew it growing up, was a nurturing community filled with mentors who shaped my life. They taught me to play at camp, to dream through making art, to soar through diving, to find a life passion in swimming and to work hard with dedication and discipline at my first jobs. I treasure their friendship, their belief in me, and their indelible influence on my life. ”