Girls Excel in Math (GEM)

GEM aims to establish and support a community of fourth through seventh grade Twin City girls who are interested in math. Forming lasting friendships and a strong student-mentor bond with a teacher are important goals for the GEM program.

We know that spending time with other girls who enjoy challenging math activities reinforces a girl's own pleasure in and enthusiasm for the subject. To this end, GEM will recruit dedicated teachers from different metro-area Public School Districts who will in turn recruit girls from their classes or their school. In this way, a teacher and a group of girls can continue working together between and after program events.

During the 2012-13, up to twenty-six teachers, each with 10-12 students will be participating in
4 events on the University of Minnesota campus.

Saturday, November 17, 2012 – Making Your Vote Count
Right after elections - learn why our voting system, which is used to choose everybody from our country’s president to your school council, is flawed. What other methods could we use? Which is best?

Saturday, January 26, 2013 – Gear Up For The Future
Use fractions, proportions and the theories of motion, force and speed to explore real-world applications to see how gears turn the world. Learn related terminology, create gear-ratio modules and analyze the patterns they create.

Saturday, March 2, 2013 – Spherical Journeys
Discover a new geometry that holds many surprises as you investigate journeys around the world. Examine how light, shapes and space influence mapmaking and orienteering. Shatter many assumptions of Euclidean geometry that you have studied in school.

Saturday, April 20, 2013 – Final Class & Recognition Ceremony

This program is sponsored by
the Center for Energy and the Environment.

For more information about their
programs and services - click here.